Chapter 575: Power Play (2)

Lennok’s assertion that he had come to meet Olivera. Virgil, however, remained silent for a long time at his words, then slowly offered his reply.

“It seems the Chairman… may have known this situation would arise beforehand.”

“What do you mean?”

“She said that before returning to her laboratory, you might reveal a very important secret.”

“…”

“She instructed me to give you this answer if you were going to bring up the matter of the Sealed Zone.”

Did this mean she had already guessed how much Lennok knew and was prepared to make his move?

Lennok sighed softly and shook his head.

“Let’s hear it first.”

“She said that it was a miracle you walked that tightrope so close to the Prohibition Edict’s boundary, so you should be content to have returned alive after witnessing such foolishness in your youth.”

“Ha, foolishness…”

Lennok, who had been frowning, couldn’t help but chuckle at that. It seemed the high-minded Chairman of the Cartel was just as displeased with her inexperienced and ignorant past.

He hadn’t expected the present-day Olivera to conveniently explain everything. The Olivera from the past had shown Lennok her memories and cooperated because she knew her own time was running out. The Olivera who had assisted Lennok in the dissociated space-time and the Olivera who reigned as the Chairman of the Cartel in reality were entirely different beings.

‘She must have anticipated how her past self would react in that situation…’

Did Olivera know that her past self had shown Lennok her own memories? The meaning of the Black Consumer Project. How Kaiser and Alkaid met to formulate a new plan, creating a city and making it a cradle for a grand dream. Did she realize that her past self had opened those memories to Lennok?

Lennok thought she probably did.

‘The past Olivera seemed to have recognized her future self upon awakening the Seven Debts Jewels Mystic Eye. If so, the reverse would also be true.’

The Seven Debts Jewels Mystic Eye, possessing the power to intervene in causality. Lennok still didn’t know the full extent of that eye’s power, but it was clear that the landscape seen through it was not bound by space-time.

There must have been a reason for her to temporarily set aside her Level 8 Radiance-attribute magic and shift to the Mystic Eye System.

What Olivera desired and hoped for after the failure of the Black Consumer Project and Kaiser’s death remained unknown. But at this point, Olivera’s answer clearly implied that she was still not free from the Prohibition Edict’s influence.

“Ah, it seems the planning department has reached a conclusion regarding Machina’s Ticket.”

Virgil faintly frowned as he tapped his laptop on the desk, checking an email.

“Yes… We did manage to obtain a Ticket…”

“And?”

“They say it’s highly likely this alone won’t allow us to delve deep into the core of the Machine City.”

“What does that mean?”

At Lennok’s question, Virgil read through the entire email, understood it completely, and then explained again.

“The Machine City’s security barriers update and change their patterns quarterly, and it seems a once-issued Ticket loses its effectiveness if not periodically renewed.”

“Updates, huh…”

“The outer areas of the Machine City update relatively slowly for outsiders, but the special districts deep within the city are rigorously maintained.”

He had thought it would be difficult to satisfy his hunger with the first bite, but sure enough, the challenges were formidable. If he couldn’t officially obtain a Ticket from the Machine City, then sneaking in would indeed be difficult.

Lennok pondered, then asked,

“Can you find out more about how to update the Ticket?”

“They say it involves altering the embedded encryption pattern to generate random variables. The specific method itself doesn’t seem to be public.”

Virgil replied, having received an answer from the planning department based on Lennok’s words.

“‘Altering the embedded encryption pattern to generate variables.’ The answer is there.”

Lennok’s eyes shone brightly as he thought deeply.

It would be impossible alone, but there was a way if he borrowed Davi’s power.

“By comparing the patterns of two different Tickets, we can infer the encryption pattern used for variable generation. Then, we can renew the Ticket without the Machine City’s permission.”

“…Is it really that easy?”

Virgil shook his head, sounding dumbfounded.

“I’m sorry, but our headquarters only possesses one Ticket. It’s the one extracted from the body of Kansoa, the 3rd Executive who died recently.”

“…”

Did that mean another Ticket was needed to compare the encryption patterns and update it? He would have to inquire with other organizations, not just the Cartel.

“Understood. Then I’ll take Kansoa’s Ticket first.”

Just as Lennok was about to stand up, thinking that, Virgil reached out and stopped him.

“Oh, and this is another matter, but I think I should mention it in advance.”

“What is it?”

“While you were in the Sealed Zone, we’ve had several serious clashes with Aegis.”

“…”

“I understand you’re also an external consultant for Aegis. I’d really like to hear your opinion on this matter.”

Beep!!

The screen on the office wall descended, displaying various photographic materials as a three-dimensional hologram.

Factory branches reduced to ruins by attacks. A shattered high-rise building, broken cleanly in half. And other businesses laid waste.

The photos were accompanied by descriptions of the attacked business categories and images of Aegis agents, as if adding further explanation.

“You know that Cartel subsidiaries operate various businesses simultaneously, right?”

Virgil said.

“Aegis is targeting particularly profitable businesses among them, putting pressure on us. This is a completely different approach from before.”

“Are you saying you want me to tell you about Aegis’s internal movements?”

“Of course not. I know you weren’t involved in this.”

Virgil chuckled and shook his head at Lennok’s words.

“There’s practically no chance that a wizard who was trapped in the Sealed Zone for days could have pulled strings from behind the scenes.”

“Then?”

“Our headquarters’ strategic planning department has concluded that the root cause of this situation lies in the restructuring of Aegis’s leadership.”

Click!!

The image of an elderly woman appeared on the screen. Her hair was stark white, but her sharp, deeply furrowed brow was striking.

“Greta Witherhield, Director of Aegis. She had been missing for quite some time but recently officially returned to her position. Her return coincided with a complete shift in Aegis’s operational philosophy.”

Virgil leaned comfortably back on the sofa, continuing to flip through with the remote.

“She’s been very aggressive and hardline in cracking down on and weeding out unauthorized businesses in the outer districts. In that process, she’s indiscriminately affecting not only us but other organizations as well.”

Images of attacked zones and Aegis agents continued to appear on the screen. Finally, a video recording of an attack scene began to play.

Agents in black suits similar to Evelyn’s, eyes glowing in the darkness, quickly infiltrated the factory area. As Virgil paused the screen, the view zoomed in on the glowing eyes of the agents.

Simultaneously, data quantifying the mana density and internal flow speed of their eye-glow appeared next to the screen.

Lennok also quietly watched the data, his eyes gleaming.

“Level 5 or higher. The instantaneous output is close to Level 6.”

“Not only have Aegis field agents been extensively restructured, but the skills and overall level of existing agents have also significantly improved.”

Virgil explained.

“It’s definitely that woman Greta’s doing. I don’t know what kind of training she’s putting them through, but their individual combat performance and organizational cohesion are incomparable to before. At this point, they’re among the top three special agencies operating in the underworld.”

Originally, Aegis had established its prestige as the only special agency allowed to intervene in the underworld during the era of the Prohibition Edict. However, with the lifting of the edict, numerous other special agencies began to infiltrate the underworld, and Aegis’s standing became precarious.

Did this mean that with the Director’s return, the organization’s atmosphere had drastically changed, and at the same time, they were actively pressuring underworld businesses?

“What are you trying to say?”

Lennok asked.

“Are you saying you want me to help stop Aegis’s interference?”

“No, quite the opposite.”

Virgil smiled as he said that.

“You don’t have to carry out duties as an external consultant for us. Instead, I hope you don’t lend a hand to Aegis either.”

“…What?”

“I’ll grant you anything you want as compensation for not getting involved in this matter. We can even give your distribution company a share of the Cartel’s business or equity.”

“Not asking for help, but offering compensation for doing nothing.”

Lennok gave a wry smile.

“I understand what you’re thinking. Do you consider this situation that important?”

“Of course.”

Virgil nodded without the slightest hesitation.

“The executives at headquarters will handle the field work. What I need to worry about are the strategic variables that could overturn the situation itself.”

It was a full-blown conflict between two organizations for which Lennok served as an external consultant. But Virgil was more concerned about Lennok intervening in the situation and changing its dynamics than about the Aegis agents they currently had to contend with.

Virgil’s blatant actions showed that he was more worried about the possibility of Lennok becoming an enemy than about receiving his help. There was no need to ask how wary and dangerous this vampire considered Lennok to be in his heart.

“I can’t give you a definite answer. I don’t have any attachment to either external consultant position anyway.”

Lennok stood up as well, following Virgil’s lead, and said.

He picked up the coat he had temporarily set down and subtly shifted his gaze.

“More importantly, if Aegis’s forces have been strengthened, the Cartel’s might alone won’t be enough. Didn’t you lose one executive already?”

“Oh, don’t worry about that.”

Virgil chuckled and snapped his fingers, and the screen that had been off immediately turned back on, displaying a completely different scene.

“While you were away, we officially scouted three more executives with the Chairman’s approval.”

“…You added three more executives?”

The Cartel’s executives were all powerful individuals, high-level superhumans of Level 7 or above. Moreover, Olivera was a discerning superhuman who would never allow anyone into her executive board unless they had a direct connection to her.

Didn’t she once try to scout another new executive, only for the plan to be discarded after a clash with Lennok?

For three more people to pass such stringent criteria and become part of the executive board in such a short time was quite unexpected for the conservative Cartel.

At that moment, the screen on the executive office wall changed, switching to a live broadcast.

Flash!!

Inside a dark conveyor belt factory, not a single light illuminated the area.

Beyond the camera, which dimly lit the darkness, someone was moving slowly.

[Virgil. Aegis is making the first move.]

A somewhat languid yet clearly articulated voice.

[If we delay any longer, this business site will have to be completely abandoned. Are you going to hand over the initiative to that grumpy old woman?]

Click, the camera moved, and the screen turned to show a man. Thick-rimmed glasses and short, cropped hair.

Despite his neat and tidy appearance, his face was covered in someone else’s blood.

The man brought the camera close to his face, then grinned as if remembering something.

[Oh, was it too intense a temptation for our vampire executive?]

“Stop talking nonsense and focus on the field, Jayrak.”

Virgil replied in a cold voice.

“I’m currently discussing the situation with Adamant Thunder. I told you I’d entrust the judgment on the field to you.”

[Adamant Thunder? Oh, I see. You…]

Jayrak’s eyes seemed to spin, then focused on Lennok, who stood beside Virgil.

He watched Lennok with deep interest, then winked and averted his gaze.

Clang!!

The moment Jayrak lifted the staff he held in his hand, it collided with someone who appeared from the darkness, scattering sparks.

It was an Aegis black suit. Jayrak, clashing with the opponent whose silver-white hair fluttered, casually responded while shaking the camera.

[I heard there was a monster who refused an executive position and chose to remain an external consultant, so I really wanted to see his face at least once.]

“More useless nonsense…”

As Virgil sighed, the opponent Aegis agent, recognizing the camera’s presence, unleashed sharp killing intent.

[Oh my, are you filming here?]

Swish!!

As the Aegis agent spoke with feigned innocence and waved her hand, the camera screen Jayrak was holding went completely dark.

[My face shouldn’t be shown. Please understand. My son, who’s playing at home, would be horrified.]

Along with her voice, the sounds that had been audible were completely cut off.

Virgil sighed and silently ran a hand through his hair.

“Perhaps because he was a special-grade mercenary active on the Central Front until recently, he’s quite strong-willed. I’ll have to warn him about his words later.”

“A special-grade mercenary from the Central Front, huh…”

“They say he flowed into the Eastern Continent as the front entered a lull. There are rumors he was on the verge of signing an executive contract with Deadrise, but…”

“…”

Virgil, not understanding Lennok’s silence, continued nonchalantly.

“He apparently walked away because he didn’t like the atmosphere there.”

“I see.”

“He’s a difficult one, but his skills are undeniable. Perhaps because he’s been active on the front for so long, he’s incredibly knowledgeable about the continent’s mercenary industry.”

Virgil said this, then turned off the lights in the executive office, picked up his coat, and prepared to leave.

Was he planning to leave immediately after his meeting with Lennok?

“Before he left the front, I heard he was looking for a spatial-type unique wizard named Victor. Given he ended up in Vulcan, it probably didn’t go well.”

“…Victor?”

“Yes. Do you happen to know him?”

Virgil said this, naturally opening the executive office door and stepping into the hallway.

“They say he’s a spatial-type unique wizard with a very arrogant personality. He’s a new member of Pandemonium, and the Order Alliance seems to be closely observing his existence.”

“…”

“Thanks to him, unexpected recruitment requests were made to mercenaries, and I heard Jayrak also came from a similar line of work.”

Lennok hadn’t heard that the Order Alliance was looking for Victor. Then again, it had been quite a while since he last contacted Pandemonium. Perhaps it was time to visit the cathedral where Hylaea resided and inquire about their movements.

“One of the other executives was externally recruited along with Jayrak, and another was officially promoted from within the board of directors. If the opportunity arises, I’ll introduce—”

Swish!!

A chilling wind grazed his spine. Immediately, Virgil’s words cut off.

Lennok and Virgil’s gazes simultaneously turned towards the dark office window.

The night sky still showed nothing. But the senses of the two superhumans, surpassing human limits, clearly perceived a presence hurtling towards the Cartel headquarters from beyond.

Faintly reverberating anti-gravity engine roars from beyond the cloud-covered sky.

Immediately after, dozens of transport ships flew around the dark Cartel headquarters, their lights off.

From beyond the transport ships, dozens of figures dropped, fearlessly leaping between the high-rise buildings of the Cartel and vanishing.

Superhumans in black suits stared with sharp eyes at the dark, unlit executive office. Their appearance was identical to the opponent seen on Jayrak’s screen just moments ago.

Lennok watched them and quietly murmured,

“…That talk about a dispute with Aegis, were you perhaps talking about all-out war?”

The special agency, Aegis.

They, who had completely reorganized their forces under the command of their new Director, had begun a direct assault on the Cartel’s headquarters.