T⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌L/ED: Hams⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌terminato⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌r

Vuaaaaaang!!

The Manticore roared down the road with an engine sound befitting its name.

The sunset blazing in the dusk was beautiful in its amber glow. But it could not reach beneath the forest of buildings that had shot up at random.

The streets, as always, were shrouded in darkness.

What lit this land where it was hard to tell day from night were rusted street lamps and gloomy neon signs.

Jin looked out at the world beyond that dim light source.

A woman twirling a pistol with a nervous expression, a man high on drugs running shirtless, a sex toy grabbing passersby and throwing flirtations, distant gunfire, gangs, homeless people, the street’s denizens.

So very different from his hometown.

Yet now a part of his life.

As the Manticore accelerated, all of those things began to lose t⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌heir outlines and blend into a single mass.

Like that.

In a place called Downtown.

Vuuuung.

At some point, the bike crossing the boulevard slowed down and entered an alley.

A path tangled like a maze formed by buildings clustered tightly together.

The Manticore, continuing through that space for a bit more, stopped under the dim light.

The engine turned off, and Jin stepped down onto the ground.

He tapped his stiff lower back and looked up at the building in front of him, then opened the door to Anecdote.

Ding-ling-

The first thing that caught his eye was Khalifa sitting alone at a table.

With her long legs crossed over her thigh and lips resting against a glass, she cast her gaze toward the open door.

Then she gave a hollow laugh, her eyebrows shifting in height.

“...Huh? Look who it is.”

“Hey. Khalifa.”

Waving his hand, Jin walked into the shop and took a seat across from her.

“Why the gloomy solo drinking?”

“It’s not gloomy. I’m just enjoying some time alone.”

“I didn’t interrupt, did I?”

“Well, this isn’t so bad either.”

Khalifa stood up from her seat.

Then, as always, she served cookies and warm milk and spoke.

“Why did you cut off contact?”

“Ah, well, my terminal... What’s with that look? Don’t tell me you were worried?”

"...Jin. Do you think of me as just someone who serves cookies? As a Linker, it’s only natural I confirm the status of the Solo I’m partnered with.”

As Khalifa let out a soft sigh.

Jin tilted his head.

That’s odd. For all that, she seemed way too calm when they first made eye contact.

As expected, she continued the conversation with a composed air, as if she already knew the overall situation.

“I heard the story. You nearly died, he said.”

“Was it Fenrir who said that?”

To Jin’s question, Khalifa neither affirmed nor denied.

She simply took a soft sip from her glass.

Then, setting the glass down on the table, she spoke.

“...Fenrir is a level 3 Solo. As I said before, that level is considered veteran by any standard. Moreover, Fenrir almost never transforms into Beastkin form unless it’s a serious situation, so I personally believe he deserves to be evaluated even a level higher.”

Jin didn’t respond.

It didn’t feel like the kind of moment to butt in.

“So I wasn’t all that worried. I figured if it’s Fenrir, even with a rookie like you, this level of request would be manageable.”

Having said that much, Khalifa suddenly stood up.

Going to bring another plate of cookies?

While Jin drank his milk with hopeful eyes.

Khalifa returned not with cookies, but a large leather bag in hand.

She dropped it with a thud beside the table and said,

“Who would’ve expected it? That Fenrir would owe a rookie his life.”

At that, Jin blinked.

“What are you talking about? We owed each other our lives.”

It was a situation where each other's presence was essential for survival.

Please don't die. If you die, I'll die too.

Hadn't they endured desperately with that mindset?

“Fenrir doesn’t seem to see it that way.”

Khalifa smiled faintly and gestured toward the bag on the floor with a nod.

“Open it.”

So Jin, with a doubtful look, reached out and unzipped the bag.

Then he flinched at the sight of neatly stacked bundles of bills.

As he shot a look as if to ask what all this was, Khalifa spoke.

“25 million credits. The full success fee after deducting the commission. Fenrir gave you his share.”

“...Wait. Why?”

“Who knows. Ask him yourself next time you meet.”

That was all Khalifa said, and Jin became even more confused.

Did he hit his head during the fight or what?

In truth, Jin had intended to thank Fenrir when he saw him.

Understandably so, since Fenrir had carried him out after he passed out during the warehouse explosion.

But now this, a full transfer?

Jin couldn’t quite figure out what was going on in Fenrir’s mind, but he had no reason to refuse either, so he quietly pulled the bag toward him.

The scent of crisp new bills made him dizzy.

Just how much is all this?

As Jin shakily zipped the bag closed.

“Don’t you have something to ask?”

Khalifa said, pouring herself another drink.

With her long lashes lowered and her face twirling with the glass slowly, she looked as if she were waiting for a question.

Naturally, Jin opened his mouth.

“That Black Mage. What’s his identity?”

Was it a question she had expected? A prompt answer came.

“Crow Madeye. A Black Mage affiliated with Styx. Most people just call him ‘madman’.”

“...Styx?”

It wasn’t a foreign term to Jin either.

Just hearing the name Styx instantly brought to mind the river that connects the world of the living and the dead.

That was knowledge etched into his childhood memory.

All thanks to the legendary bestseller of the children’s book world.

Greek and Roman Mythology in Comics.

If you’re in your 30s and don’t know that book, you must be a spy. (TL Note: Spy as in North Korean Spy)

It was seriously fun.

Of course, Jin hadn’t thought deeply about whether Styx was merely a homonym or a conveniently borrowed element from reality.

If he did, he’d probably have a panic attack.

Meanwhile, Khalifa began explaining.

“They’re a group composed of criminals rated level 5 or higher in threat level. Each member has a massive bounty on their head, but that’s just a number to show how monstrously strong they are. In reality, no bounty hunter or Solo targets them. Well, there were some. Until their hunted corpses started stacking up like buildings.”

At that, Jin’s upper lip twitched.

Would it be tactless to ask how much?

“At the same time, they’re fixers like us. Of course, you can’t just hire them with money; they say you have to pique their interest or something. Anyway, they’re crazy bastards. Sometimes they seem annoyingly picky, then out of nowhere they wreak havoc in totally unexpected places.”

Khalifa paused, then added,

“Like that warehouse.”

"I understand."

Jin nodded.

No wonder something felt off.

It wasn’t just a difficulty jump from level 1 to 5. It was like suddenly leaping to 20.

Talk about stepping in shit.

Clicking his tongue, Jin popped a cookie into his mouth.

Then, as he brushed the crumbs off his fingertips, Khalifa, who’d been watching, lowered her voice.

“Jin. What I’m about to say isn’t comfort or an excuse. It’s just a fact you need to accept.”

Calmly beginning, her red eyes met Jin’s face.

“As long as you continue living as a Solo, things like this will happen all the time. Unexpected threats. Uncontrollable situations. Countless variables born from those. Preparing in advance for all of it is next to impossible. So in the end, only individual ability remains. That’s how this world works. Brutal, you could say."

“......”

“Do you still have the confidence?”

At the following question, Jin briefly held his words.

He didn’t know why someone who was technically just a broker collecting commissions would go this far, but he understood the intent behind her words.

A warning thrown at someone who’s stepped across the line.

Ahead lies hell.

But had it ever not been that way?

Since Jin opened his eyes in this world, not once had he gone without feeling his life was in danger.

Swords and guns? Yeah, they do hurt.

No matter how much time passed, he never got used to being stabbed and broken. There were nights when the pain was so unbearable he’d toss and turn until he just couldn’t take it anymore and ended up sobbing like a child, ashamed of himself.

But more frightening than that was when he was lying comfortably with all limbs intact.

Nights when thoughts flooded in.

Endless questions spiraling.

Is this really inside a game?

Then what am I?

A possessor? A game character? Why me of all people?

How did it come to this? Can I ever escape?

If I do go back, how do I live with these memories?

Fucking Status Window.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

And then, without fail, the black wave would come crashing in.

At some point, Jin stopped turning off the lights to sleep.

Ever since he got his terminal, he would sometimes play loud music and leave it beside his bed.

Perhaps that's why Jin felt he was divided like two sides of a coin.

A superhuman who launched fists like cannonballs, pushing forward even if he broke something, and a coward who curled into a ball at night, afraid of the dark.

As the gap between the two widened wi⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌th time.

Jin accepted the only choice given to him.

To reach the end of the path shown by the Status Window.

And whatever lay there, to crush it with his own two hands.

That was still a distant prospect.

So, the life of a Solo was merely one step in the long process of reaching that far-off end.

At last, Jin opened his mouth.

"Of course I'm confident."

“I figured you’d say that.”

Khalifa gave a faint smile.

“Anyway, you really went through a lot. Coming back alive after going up against Crow. That alone is enough to prove your worth. So here’s some good news.”

“Good news?”

Jin blinked as he asked back, and Khalifa clapped her hands lightly with a hint of amusement on her lips.

“Poe!”

As if waiting for that cue, the bartender popped out from behind the central shelf with a ta-da.

“You called, manager.”

His perfectly timed appearance felt like a staged performance, and Jin couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight. As he grinned, Khalifa turned around and spoke.

“You tell him. You said you wanted to.”

With a respectful nod, Poe looked at Jin and spoke.

"Congratulations, Jin. Having fulfilled the requirements for promotion through official procedures, I inform you that you have been registered as a level 2 solo on the Solo Intranet."

At that moment, dopamine exploded in Jin’s brain.

「Promotion」──────────────

A little further, a little higher.

You have been promoted to Solo (Lv2).

Reward: Perk XP 2,000

────────────────────

“It’s extremely rare for a rookie who hasn’t even passed the screening stage to be promoted. It’s the kind of legendary achievement held only by level 7 or higher Solos.”

"Poe. Don't exaggerate."

Khalifa shot him a light glare, then turned to Jin.

"From now on, I'll arrange better jobs for you. It'll naturally happen that way. Well then. Please continue to work with us."

Dazed from the drug-like rush in his brain, Jin grabbed the hand she extended and mumbled in a slurred voice.

“Thaaaanksh. Me tooo.”

“......? What’s wrong with you.”

Later.

After clearing up the minor misunderstanding, Jin stepped out of Anecdote with the heavy money bag in hand.

Thunk.

He loaded the bag into the storage trunk and climbed onto the Manticore.

As the bike’s engine growled low, ready to run again.

Jin looked up at the sky, which had already turned dark.

Where would he go today?

Nothing was set.

He would simply live wherever his feet took him.

Maybe he was becoming a little more like a vagabond.

With a faint smile, he pulled the throttle.

Vuaaaang!!

Under the faint moonlight, the bike shot across Downtown.