The Reverse Reverence Society and Black Hand.
As the story of Abyss City progressed, these two organizations appeared periodically. They were entangled in various quests.
The pitch-black coin that Rohan had snatched from the elf elder and Doberman. These were the very groups that issued the Silver Coins of Judas and provided ways to use them.
It was no exaggeration to say that the entire underworld revolved around these two factions, both of which wielded overwhelming power.
The infamous crime syndicates that the world feared? No matter how high they climbed or how powerful they became, true freedom was nothing but an illusion.
Dig deep enough, and without exception, every single one of them had their lives tethered to these two groups.
Whenever a criminal organization reached a certain level of notoriety and influence, an untouchable giant would inevitably emerge from the shadows. One they could never hope to resist.
From that point on, they were forcibly placed under the hierarchy and reduced to subordinate branches.
There were those who swore loyalty in pursuit of their desires, and there were those who bowed their heads simply to survive.
But this was not a rule upheld solely through fear and violence.
It was true that refusing an offer from the Reverse Reverence Society or the Black Hand would result in being reduced to nothing but a lump of flesh buried in the dirt.
However, being absorbed into the hierarchy did not mean suffering relentless exploitation.
Most of the time, the higher-ups adopted a stance of passive indifference toward their subordinate groups. And when they did choose to intervene, they made sure to offer something truly tempting in return.
That temptation.
A man who held psychological dominance over those with physical deficiencies or unusual desires.
His laboratory was a place where human voices were heard maybe once a year.
But today, by sheer coincidence, that silence was broken.
“Sir Hex.”
The voice of a familiar subordinate.
A gaunt man, who had been watching the exoskeleton of a monster inside a test tube, slowly turned his head.
Cold glasses framed his sharp features and pointed ears marked his race. But his expression was hollow, unreadable, and utterly devoid of emotion.
“This is a report regarding the Testarossa bloodline.”
“…….”
The subordinate knelt and handed over the report.
A hand moved to receive it.
As he shifted, the skin beneath Hex’s clothing momentarily turned translucent, revealing glimpses of what lay beneath. His bones flickered into view, along with the steady flow of his blood.
In some areas, only the structure of his muscles and their movements could be seen.
It was enough to infer the true nature of what lay beneath his garments.
If one looked deeper than his hand, they might even glimpse his very organs.
“…Hmm.”
After receiving the report, Hex wiped his glasses and put them back on before casually glancing at the attached photographs.
Even after reading the text and grasping the situation, he showed no signs of interest.
All he felt was boredom.
“They were dull-witted to begin with, so I didn’t expect much. But I didn’t think they’d die without even meeting the bare minimum.”
“If you give the order, we will begin tracking Testarossa.”
Hex expressionlessly observed his subordinate’s loyalty before setting the report down.
Among the burned corpses, none could be identified as Testarossa. The bodies that were found had died from gunshot wounds. Expensive belongings were left untouched, and after the murders were carried out, the perpetrators fled.
The general picture was clear. It was also one of the outcomes Hex had anticipated.
“Forget it. If she escaped to Tigrova, she’ll be under the protection of the Snow Tiger Emperor. Even if she moves on to another country, it will be the same.”
“……”
Hex could already predict what kind of process Sion Testarossa would go through if she arrived in Tigrova.
Retrieving the dormant bloodline of Testarossa? It was something he would have liked to do if possible, but provoking a monster like the Snow Tiger Emperor simply wasn’t worth it.
That kind of outcome would be an immense loss.
The fools who had boasted about raising Testarossa as a weapon and using her to exploit the Snow Tiger Emperor’s weaknesses. He had been half-convinced they would fail from the start.
But sending his own subordinates into action carried a different weight.
Provoking the monster sitting in Tigrova would require far more substantial gains to justify the risk.
“Don’t let emotions sway you. Failing in one investment out of many is inevitable, and calling this a failure is almost laughable. You understand that, don’t you?”
“Yes!”
Hex opened a test tube and continued his examination with a pair of tweezers.
His subordinate waited until he was finished before speaking again.
“Sir Hex. Also, I have an unrelated piece of news.”
“Report.”
“The current first-year students at Orion Academy are scheduled to leave for a deserted island.”
The next report was presented.
Hex who had shown no interest in the previous news showed a slight hint of curiosity.
His expression seemed to say, “This sounds more interesting.”
“A gesture to acknowledge the Monolith anomaly? A reasonable course of action.”
It was clear why the Reverse Reverence Society, which should have been wholly focused on their objectives, was paying attention to an academy that nurtured young talent.
A former Grand General of the Three Nations Alliance, the heir to the Tenkaichen, the youngest daughter of Tigrova’s ruler, and so on—
The list was full of key figures whose locations needed to be tracked at all times.
“Hmm…”
The value of the students at Orion Academy was on an entirely different level compared to Sion Testarossa, who had neither power nor family members to threaten.
That made them all the more desirable.
I can guess why they so openly announced their use of the deserted island.
Completely controlling such information was practically impossible. Instead, by making it public, they could draw the attention of influential figures concerned for their heirs. That, in turn, would serve as an invisible restraint on criminals.
In short, they intended to observe the shadows from within the light.
The academy would undoubtedly go to great lengths to reinforce security, but looking ahead, this could still be worth taking advantage of.
“Good. I suppose discussing this with Omega wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
At present, Hex had no need to step forward himself.
The other leader of the Reverse Reverence Society—
If Omega who had a past grudge against the former Grand General of the Three Nations Alliance saw an opportunity, he might make a move, even if it meant negotiating terms with Hex at a loss.
“Inform Omega that the prepared skin graft is ready for him.”
“Yes!”
At Hex’s command, his subordinate vanished like smoke.
***
– And don’t forget to stick to the main roads as much as possible. Don’t try to move around late at night just to get there faster. Once the sun sets, find a place to stay and get some rest early.
– You’re really treating me like a little kid.
As expected, this part is the most pleasant to hear. If only my voice weren’t in it, it’d be perfect.
Sion had been repeatedly listening to the recorded phone call while keeping the charger plugged into the outlet.
She hadn’t bothered counting how many times she had listened. It didn’t matter.
She just kept listening.
Of course, in between, Rohan had called again after finishing his academy classes.
Clara who had safely returned to Academy City had also called.
Most recently, Rohan had called again, this time together with Clara, after finishing his work.
“…….”
Sion had wanted to be there too. She had wanted to talk with them in the same space.
She was curious about the bookstore where Rohan worked. She wanted to see, with her own eyes, the historic shop where Clara and Rohan had met.
Realizing that she couldn’t do so now made her body tremble strangely.
Why is it so cold? Is it because I’ve entered Tigrova?
Of course, the temperature inside the train remained constant.
But outside, the world was covered in a blanket of white snow.
Feeling a chill from deep within, Sion pulled out Rohan’s coat, which she had been keeping carefully, and put it on.
After zipping it up, she took a deep breath, inhaling its scent. The loneliness felt a little less overwhelming.
[The Sky Train will soon arrive in Tigrova. Passengers, please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts.]
Finally.
It was an announcement she had been waiting for.
Sion checked her seatbelt one last time and waited silently. Through the window, she could see the ground slowly drawing closer.
The train rumbled and shook as its wheels touched down, sending snow scattering into the air. The announcement continued once more.
[The Sky Train has landed at Snowfang Valley in Tigrova. Thank you.]
Watching the other passengers rise and gather their belongings, Sion also stood up.
She followed the flow of people disembarking and stepped onto solid ground.
The crisp cool air filled her lungs. It was refreshing and invigorating.
Click!
As proof of her arrival, she took a picture of the station and uploaded it to the group before continuing on her way.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
She stepped through the piled snow, making her way inside the building.
The architectural style was entirely different from that of Academy City.
Taking her time to admire it might have been enjoyable, but having briefly lived in Tigrova before, Sion focused only on finding her way.
To get to Snow Tiger Emperor Palace in the capital from here…
She needed to board another train, but the building was so vast that she wasn’t sure where to go.
Should she look for an information desk?
The floor was damp, the snow clinging to passengers’ soles melting into small puddles.
As she walked, the faint squeak of wet shoes echoed with each step.
And then—
Sion suddenly realized that, in this vast building, there was no one else around.
“……”
Click! She unzipped her bag and, without hesitation, retrieved her weapon.
The assembly took only a moment, and with it, the silence shattered.
Creaaaak—!!!
Before Sion’s eyes, ice surged upward in an instant, forming a large flower bud.
When it naturally bloomed, it released armored Beastkin warriors and a white fox Beastkin holding a fan.
Those beastkin…?!
Among them were two faces she had seen countless times during her research on Tigrova.
Even those who weren’t citizens of Tigrova would recognize them.
A man clad in the most intricate armor and a woman holding a fan approached Sion.
“I am Argen Blizzard, Captain of the Snow Tiger Emperor Palace Guard.”
“And I am Yuho, Chief Administrator.”
“!!!”
Sion was so shocked she couldn’t even speak.
Yuho studied her intently before smiling gently.
Then, after exchanging a nod of approval with the captain and offering a polite gesture, she took a step aside.
Behind her, the large ice flower stood in full bloom. Like an invitation.
“This way. We’ve come to escort you.”
Leave a Reply