Chapter 545: Kaiser (2)

Crackle, crackle…

Iriyah fiddled with the transmitter, then sighed and put it away. “If it’s still like this even after replacing the spare parts, it’s practically useless.”

Iriyah, a member of Sybrid Echo, was quite knowledgeable about mechanical equipment, yet she couldn’t fix the transmitter. If she couldn’t fix it, others would barely be able to touch it. In this situation, there was virtually no way to contact Keegan Grimes at the Kurbas Multi-purpose Gravity Dam.

Iriyah’s expression, as she fiddled with a communicator instead of the video transmitter, began to brighten. Felix’s somewhat exhausted voice could be faintly heard over the radio.

“…Iriyah?”

“Sir Felix, you’re safe.”

“I got caught up in an unexpected fight… things got complicated.”

Felix’s voice was utterly grave.

“I was moving with Van, but he suddenly disappeared the moment we approached the power plant.”

“…”

“I plan to head straight to the power plant once I finish the battle here. Considering Van’s health, the burden of being alone is unreasonable—”

“You won’t need to worry about Adamant Thunder’s safety for a while.”

Iriyah glanced away as she replied.

“I just confirmed him entering the power plant, guided by someone. In fact, it seems he’s making the fastest progress among us.”

“…What?”

Felix stammered for a moment at her unexpected answer.

“Iriyah, how on earth do you know that…? No, that’s the wrong question. Where are you right now?”

“Rather than where I am, I’m now…”

Iriyah replied, leaning her body slightly forward.

As she tilted, her hair cascaded down like a waterfall.

She was hanging upside down from the very top of the power plant’s heat exhaust, which stretched dozens of meters in diameter, gazing into the endless darkness.

“I’m just about to infiltrate the power plant.”

“…”

“But I thought I should contact you before it was too late.”

Iriyah, who had undergone body modifications, could see things invisible to ordinary human eyes.

Ultra-high temperature heat rays, impossible to confirm with the naked eye.

This was the power plant’s only ventilation shaft, serving not only as an exhaust but also as a barrier against intruders.

Iriyah intended to directly access the power plant’s internal facilities through it.

“Sir Van drew their attention, so the aerial surveillance temporarily loosened. Thanks to that, I was able to get here easily. Others will probably need to be careful.”

Clank, clank!!

Iriyah spoke, checking the belts and ropes securely fastened all over her body.

“He’s a superhuman with incredible flight abilities. It’s hard to believe he’s a figure from decades ago. I didn’t see his face, but he’s probably one of the Triad’s Iron Blood Palace…”

Felix silently took a sharp breath at her calm explanation.

“…You’ve already realized.”

“Wasn’t the battle you got caught in the same?”

Iriyah, who had responded calmly, slowly leaned her waist backward. Her body straightened upside down, forming a loose arch.

“The timeline in the Sealed Zone is completely entangled, and that applies to the people still alive inside. They’re not illusions from memories. They are clearly alive, and they are thinking.”

“…”

“To unravel this secret and stop the radiation exposure, we ultimately have no choice but to directly access the heart of the power plant. Sir Van must have recognized that and chose to let them capture him.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m not very good at finding shortcuts, so I can’t go as easily as Sir Van, but…”

Iriyah, finally pushing down her goggles, slowly released her body from the belt and replied.

“I just hope I can be of help when needed.”

It wasn’t simply a matter of avoiding the heat rays surrounding the exhaust port. Intense, unpredictable hot air rose from below. If she were caught, her entire body would melt or be sliced by the heat rays.

But Iriyah, knowing this, was ready to plunge herself into the darkness beyond the exhaust.

“Damn it, where on earth is Sir Azlan…? He hasn’t responded since his last message.”

“Oh, I have something to tell you about that too…”

Iriyah said, undoing all remaining belts.

“Sir Azlan seems to have little interest in the success of this operation. It seems we shouldn’t expect help from him.”

“What on earth do you mean…?”

Felix spoke, then belatedly seemed to realize something and urgently asked Iriyah.

“Iriyah, what did you see inside the Sealed Zone? If you’ve grasped something related to Sir Azlan’s secret…!!”

“…”

“Purity isn’t looking for an object or a person in this area.”

Iriyah said.

“From the beginning, he was interested in nothing but himself. I think we realized that too late.”

“Iriyah, wait there!! I’ll resolve the situation here and join you immediately…!!”

“One more person needs to lend a hand before the situation becomes completely unmanageable.”

Click!!

Without hesitation, the moment she unbuckled the last belt, her body dropped sharply downward.

Iriyah’s form, brushing precariously past countless heat rays, instantly vanished into the darkness beyond.

Only her last message quietly echoed.

“I’ll do what I can, so please do the same, Sir Felix. I’m counting on you.”

“So…”

The man stroked his chin with a displeased expression, lost in thought.

“You’ve newly joined the operation under Olivera’s directive?”

His appearance, with his curly black hair roughly swept to one side, was quite striking. The mana emanating from his body vibrated with a unique resonance, spreading quietly like ripples.

Instead of answering, Lennok silently observed the mana flowing from Kaiser’s body.

‘He’s not a physical superhuman.’

It was extremely difficult to guess whether an opponent was a spellcaster or a physical superhuman based solely on their core mana.

This was because the system of spellcasting or the direction of an inner landscape wasn’t always defined by just two categories.

There were plenty of cases where someone specialized in pure spellcasting was strong in close combat, or someone closer to a physical superhuman specialized in long-range saturation fire.

Any judgment was merely a conjecture based on comprehensive observation of physique, muscle density, and the flow and direction of mana, informed by experience.

But Lennok was half-certain that Kaiser was not a physical superhuman nonetheless.

‘His mana flow is very unique. No, not just unique, it’s…’

Lennok’s eyes, staring at Kaiser, became cold.

‘The direction of the flow itself is reversing throughout his entire body.’

Normally, a living being’s mana flow would rotate along the direction of blood vessels and naturally circulate throughout the body, like oxygen and blood. As the most fundamental driving force and source of power that constitutes a superhuman’s essence, it was naturally ideal for it to occur and circulate simultaneously with life activities.

But Kaiser’s mana, far from following blood circulation and life activities, was reversing the flow throughout his entire body, scattering its irregular pattern everywhere.

Crack, crackle, crackle!!

This was heaven-defying mana, impossible without an innate constitution, or the influence of a comparable lineage or unique genetic factor.

Because it defied the natural flow, it was incredibly alien and powerful, yet it wouldn’t be surprising if it caused real-time harm to the user’s body.

Kaiser’s health in this timeline was probably, to put it mildly, not good.

Perhaps sensing that Lennok couldn’t tear his gaze away from the reverse-flowing mana, Kaiser stared blankly at Lennok and spoke gruffly.

“You’re as rude as someone Olivera would bring along. Didn’t you learn it’s impolite to stare at people like that?”

“…I didn’t know you were one for manners. I’ll be careful in the future.”

Kaiser scoffed at Lennok’s indifferent remark.

“Well, your reaction tells me you have some discernment, at least.”

“Discernment?”

“Weren’t you looking at my mana? Not many people understand it the moment they meet me.”

“…”

“She’s a very powerful Mystic Eye wielder among the people I know. It’s not strange for her subordinate to have good eyes.”

Lennok finally understood the meaning of Kaiser’s words and smiled bitterly.

Kaiser had already noticed not only that Lennok was observing his mana but also that he possessed a Mystic Eye.

Kaiser, turning his back nonchalantly, said, “Given you’re a Mystic Eye wielder of that caliber, it’s not hard to understand you joining this operation late. There’s no need for further explanation, as others wouldn’t handle things carelessly.”

“You’re quick to grasp things.”

“Anyway, if you’re not planning to help me right now, could you leave soon?”

Kaiser waved his hand, quickly manipulating his tablet again.

“I don’t have much time left to get results. I need to finish the adjustments as quickly as possible and get some rest. I need to get some sleep before the research begins so I can preserve my stamina… cough!!”

Kaiser let out a few dry coughs, shrugged his shoulders, and looked away.

Lennok watched Kaiser’s retreating back for a long time.

His easygoing, somewhat indifferent nature was different from the underworld ruler he had imagined. Regardless of his reputation as a powerful figure who dominated the dark alleys of the mega-city, his essence seemed closer to a researcher or scholar.

Was it because he possessed both such ability and disposition that he oversaw the Black Consumer Project, gathering all the darkness of the city in one place?

Jenny’s grandfather. Underworld boss. A ruler betrayed by his loyal retainers.

There were many who still remembered his name and longed for that era, even among those close to Lennok.

What kind of hopes and ambitions did this man harbor, that so many still remembered him?

Why did his name still echo occasionally in the city’s back alleys, where everything was forgotten after a day?

He wouldn’t be able to confirm it directly unless it was now.

But instead of verbally asking the questions in his heart, Lennok posed a different question.

“You look troubled. Do you need help?”

“I do, but without foundational knowledge, you’d only be in the way. Do you think I’m doing all this work alone for no reason?”

Lennok quietly raised his gaze and examined the huge mechanical device placed in the center of the power room.

It was shaped like a gigantic egg. Its half-cracked shell revealed its internal components and circuits. Within it, mana surged ceaselessly, and space itself warped.

Even a high-level wizard would only perceive that something beyond common sense was happening inside, but it would be difficult to discern exactly what research was being conducted.

However, having confirmed the radiation exposure and temporal discrepancies in the Sealed Zone, Lennok could guess what Kaiser was aiming for with this research.

From the moment he grasped the principles and structure of that mechanical device through his innate intuition and transcendental empathy, Lennok understood.

He didn’t know if Kaiser was the most powerful transcendent and ruler of the underworld.

But he was undoubtedly one of the most brilliant geniuses this city had ever produced.

“I can only hope Olivera returns quickly to help with the adjustments—”

“To materialize the spacetime realm, you’ll need to increase the mana hardening rate further.”

Kaiser’s words abruptly stopped.

Lennok continued, unfazed by his reaction.

“You’re using an artificial method of extracting and expanding space, but the original itself isn’t properly formed. In that case, you need to double the output from now and forcibly achieve stability.”

“Wait, you…”

“Are you planning to try to maintain the status quo by borrowing the Chairman’s Mystic Eye? What’s the point of gaining results through such temporary trickery?”

Lennok finished speaking, then immediately realized the answer to his own question.

“I see… So, even this isn’t the true essence of the project. If you’re laying the groundwork as a testbed and then building meaning upon it…”

Crash!!

At that moment, a tablet flew from the other side, crashed at Lennok’s feet, and shattered.

Kaiser rose from his seat with an expressionless face, staring at Lennok.

“You’re not the one Olivera called.”

“…”

“You know things you shouldn’t, and you don’t know things you should. What’s your true identity?”

Kaiser asked in an indifferent tone. His gaze was utterly cold, completely unlike the somewhat bewildered look he had moments ago.

A chilling, stern atmosphere instantly filled the power room, as if he were about to kill and bury Lennok right then and there.

It was an inhuman presence, perfectly embodying the symbol of the underworld ruler Lennok had imagined.

“Why did you come looking for me?”

“Well…”

Lennok trailed off, crossing his arms and looking away.

He knew that things were bound to turn out this way the moment he met Kaiser.

It was good that he had tricked Parden McQueen to enter the power plant, but once he met Kaiser, he didn’t know how to deal with him.

The Black Consumer Project, the research being conducted in this Sealed Zone, the city council’s secrets, and the existence of Alkaid.

There was so much he wanted to ask, but would Kaiser, if he were in his right mind, explain such confidential matters to a stranger?

Nor was it possible to intimidate or torture Kaiser into spilling information. He wouldn’t be the type to fall for such tricks in the first place.

What was the only way to safely hear about the project’s secrets and leave this place without antagonizing Kaiser?

The conclusion was already set.

“I’m interested in the research you’re conducting. I’d like to cooperate.”

“…What?”

That’s why Lennok decided to help Kaiser right here, right now, to completely resolve what was happening in this timeline.

It was also the most efficient way to extract Kaiser’s knowledge of the project and spacetime research.

“You’re trying to manage the construction of a domain in actual spacetime through this research, aren’t you?”

Lennok continued, leaving the unresponsive Kaiser behind.

“I’ll help you complete your research. In return, you just need to play along with me for a moment.”

“Play along…?”

“It’s true I have a connection with Olivera, but I’m not entirely on his side.”

Lennok shrugged and continued.

“I won’t be able to stay here once McQueen returns. I want to avoid unnecessary commotion. I’m here because I want to see your research completed.”

“And you can help me in that process?”

“That’s for you to decide. But you already know, don’t you?”

Lennok replied.

“That I can help you, and I have no intention of harming you.”

“…”

No answer.

That was probably because Kaiser agreed with Lennok’s words, yet also doubted him.

It was clear that Lennok had no hostility, having passed by Gileon monitoring the power plant and now speaking with Kaiser face-to-face.

Nevertheless, it was natural for the sudden offer to help with the research to feel suspicious.

But Kaiser, instead of sharply rejecting the offer, merely stared at Lennok with cold eyes.

As if waiting for the one answer that could tie all this unnaturalness together.

‘…I see.’

Lennok thought about that fact, then realized the answer lay within the path he had already taken, and he couldn’t help but smile.

He vividly felt the utterly profound contradiction and residual scent of coincidence permeating this very moment.

“Still don’t know?”

As if it had been decided from the start, he extended his hand towards Kaiser.

“Alkaid. I promised, didn’t I?”

Uttering the perfect lie Kaiser had been waiting for.