Free Web Novel“Border” City. It received that name because it is located at the very center of the continent. To the northeast lies the Luthien Theocracy. To the northwest, the Kingdom Alliance. To the south, the Badland—the very same barren plains that Gunther’s party had crossed.
Because enormous crowds of people flowed in here every day regardless of nationality or race, the checkpoints were always packed to the point where there was no room to step.
«Neutral zones are popular everywhere.»
Of course, it wasn’t just the location. This was the only city on the continent with highly developed magical engineering.
«All thanks to the Labyrinth.»
The economy of this gigantic megacity was driven by the Labyrinth. Cores extracted from its depths, byproducts of otherworldly creatures, transcendent materials...
It was precisely because of the Labyrinth that an innovative civilization could flourish—one where magic and machinery replaced virtually every sphere of life. The level of development here was incomparable to other regions. That was why the flow of tourists and immigrants never dried up. And also why the inspection of Gunther’s group didn’t end until sunset.
[Passage to the Middle City authorized. Proceed.]
Surprisingly, the voice did not belong to a human. A guide “golem” with a metallic body and a blue mana core embedded within it. After scanning them with mechanical movements, it granted passage in a cold voice. Ryan Parker stared at the guide with curiosity.
— Magical engineering, huh. Outside, you could sell just a single part from that thing for a fortune.
[Warning! Do not touch the guide]
[Warning! Smuggling magical engineering components is punishable by up to 500 years of imprisonment]
— Whoa, whoa.
Chuckling awkwardly, Ryan stepped back at the sharp warning sound. It seemed the anticipation of entering Border City had put him in a good mood.
— What a nasty hunk of metal you are.
[Warning! The checkpoint is congested! If inspection is complete, proceed into the city promptly]
— Yeah, yeah, I got it!
At the moment Gunther and Ryan, leaving the queue, were about to move on, a group of people appeared behind them. They were members of the upper class, dressed in luxurious clothes and glittering jewelry. Snow-white smooth faces, silky hair, even a pleasant fragrance. Compared to the others standing in line, they looked as if they belonged to a different race altogether.
[Welcome, honored guests of the Bellamore family. Passage to the Upper City authorized. For your convenience, we will escort you via a separate route]
Ryan let out a short laugh when he heard the golem’s suddenly polite voice.
— Unbelievable. They don’t even have to wait.
The guide very respectfully escorted the distinguished guests to a side door. It was far wider and shone far brighter than the one Gunther’s group had passed through, and inside awaited a majestic private magic elevator. At a glance, the scene made it clear what Border City was really about.
— I’m already “liking” this city, — Ryan sneered. — We go in through the door for cattle, and those golden-haired little angels through the gates of heaven...
...At that moment, one of the “golden-haired angels” suddenly stopped. As Ryan clapped a hand over his mouth, her gaze turned toward them. It was a woman with eyes like faceted red gemstones.
“.......”
She stared silently at Gunther for several seconds, then, smiling faintly, stepped into the elevator. In her gaze there was a greed that was hard to mistake for anything else. Ryan whispered from behind:
— Ah... I hate Gunther.
[Alphonse of Red Street asks whether you’re really planning to spend the night in the Upper City today]
Gunther, however, simply kept walking forward with a stern expression.
— What’s wrong with him...
[Warning! Leave the checkpoint immediately]
— I got it already! Hey, Gunther! Wait up!
Gunther walked quickly, not taking his eyes off the elevator rising into the air. He let out an involuntary chuckle.
«You can tell right away I’m in Border City.»
The moment he entered, he ran straight into a villain.
Bellamore. The organizers of the “Cannibals’ Banquet” and among the influential patrons secretly supporting the Luthien Theocracy. If Gunther’s Charm stat had exceeded 60, he would have just received an invitation. Though with his current stats, it would have been an invitation into a den of monsters where he wouldn’t last even three seconds.
«Most of the upcoming scenarios will be like this.»
Luthien fanatics seeking to gather high-quality offerings for the descent of the Evil God. The role of the “Protagonist” was to eradicate them and cleanse Border City. Obviously, that was impossible alone.
Tr-r-r
Gunther looked at the departing column of the Silver Compass merchant guild. Members of the caravan, including Eddie and Yor, waved subtly, but Kalian Ladenbach was nowhere to be seen. He was probably racking his brain over how to deal with his exposed identity. Even in neutral Border City, one could not feel completely safe from Luthien’s claws. Most likely, the Silver Compass guild would be dissolved within a few days.
«Well then.»
In truth, he was no less busy than Kalian and had to act cautiously. His top priority was to make contact with the Night Raven. And...
«First, I need to talk to Ryan.»
That had to be done before he could seriously begin operating within the secret organization.
— Hey, Gunther.
At that very moment, Ryan, who was walking ahead, turned around and called out to him. They were right before the entrance to the Middle City. The guy grinned and said:
— Let’s split up here.
......?
***
[Alphonse of Red Street is struck speechless by this unexpected turn]
Gunther also fell silent for a moment. The words he had thought would require long persuasion were spoken first by Ryan. Ryan smirked and continued: frёewebnoѵēl.com
— Why are you so surprised, idiot?
— .......
— And don’t get the wrong idea, I’m not saying this to put you at ease. This is purely my decision. Mine alone.
It sounded a little awkward, but Ryan trusted Gunther and relied on him more than on anyone else. He was ready to take on any assignment just to stay by his side. That was why Gunther couldn’t easily believe it.
— ...Your decision?
— Yeah, my decision not to be dead weight to you.
Ryan’s eyes were serious, without a trace of his usual jokes.
— I already know you’ve got business in Border City. And I know that with my abilities, I’d be useless as hell in that business.
— Ryan.
— That’s why you kept going on about how we needed to come here, but never once said why exactly, right?
Struck right in his weakest spot, Gunther found no words to answer. But Ryan was calm. He even smiled.
— Hey, what, you planning to jump into deep water with a sack of rocks around your neck?
— What are you talking about...
Gunther tried to object, but closed his mouth. Then, with a light sigh, he looked away.
Yes, he understood. This was a necessary parting. He couldn’t drag him into the main scenario.
From now on, his path would be filled with dangers that an ordinary mercenary wouldn’t survive even for a moment. Evil gods and their apostles. Despicable, insane fanatics. And unimaginable catastrophic disasters. Ryan might be an outstanding mercenary... but those battles were beyond his league.
«If we keep going together, he’ll definitely die for nothing.»
Gunther, who knew the future scenario, was [N O V E L I G H T] certain of it. Return was not omnipotent. Sooner or later, a situation would arise that couldn’t be fixed by returning, and then he would have to retrieve Ryan’s corpse with his own hands. That was why the separation was inevitable. Even so, he hadn’t expected Ryan to take the initiative.
— Why that face?
— .......
— Who said we’re saying goodbye forever?
In that familiar smile, as always, there was optimism.
— Just wait. I’ve got plans too. I’ll try not to fall behind, and then the two of us will take this damn city by storm. Yeah.
— You’re insane. What grand ambitions.
— You’ve got to think big, kid.
Thud
Ryan held out his fist. Gunther stared at it in silence.
Dirty, rough, unrefined. But over the last eleven returns, that hand had never once trembled and had always fought alongside him. Ryan grinned.
— I don’t know what you’re planning, but good luck. Everything always works out for you.
— .......
Gunther understood. This concern wasn’t the result of some “affection index” increasing. Ryan Parker. He had always shown kindness to Gunther without asking for anything in return. It was something Gunther had barely felt not only in this world, but even in his past life. Silently, Gunther bumped his fist against his.
Thud
Amid the noise of the street, their agreement to part sounded quietly.
— We’ll meet again.
Gunther stood still until the figure of Ryan waving his hand completely disappeared into the crowd.
.
.
.
[The King of Ninety-Nine Defeats says it’s rare to find a companion who understands everything without words]
[The Drug-Addicted Saint is surprised and says she didn’t expect such a side of Ryan]
[Alphonse of Red Street takes out tarot cards and predicts the probability of meeting Ryan again]
Gunther pushed through the bustling crowd, letting out a short sigh.
«What a day, pure mockery.»
The day, stretched long by return, brought with it colossal fatigue. Parting with Ryan only added to the weight. More than anything, he wanted to find a place to sleep and collapse into rest, but he couldn’t afford that yet.
Because there was a place he had to go. Gunther rolled the “card” he held in his fingers. The very one Kalian had given him not long ago.
[Admission Ticket (Haven)]
A deep, dark black background. At the top of the card, in small silver letters, was engraved the name of an exclusive closed bar—“Haven”.
— It’s a good place to shake off travel fatigue. Drop by sometime when you’re free.
Naturally, it wasn’t just a bar. “Haven” was one of the Night Raven’s secret safehouses. A place where covert assignments were passed along, information exchanged, and underground deals struck. In the official storyline, this was where the “Protagonist” received various missions from the organization. How things really were was unknown, but in the game, visiting this place was a mandatory condition for progressing the scenario. Deciding to strike while the iron was hot, Gunther intended to visit “Haven” today.
«Somewhere around here.»
After wandering several times through the labyrinth of intertwined alleys, Gunther finally found a bar without a sign.
— Hey, who are you? How do you know about this place?
Someone blocked his path. It was a man of enormous build, swaying at the entrance of the alley like a drunkard. ...Of course, there was no smell of alcohol coming from him at all.
— Someone recommended I stop by.
As soon as he presented the admission ticket, the guard grinned and stepped aside. The magical pistol at his waist glinted predatorily in the lamplight.
— Ah, a guest. Buy plenty of drinks.
Gunther passed by the guard without hesitation. After traversing a dusty corridor, he found himself in the dim hall filled with a hum of voices.
“.......”
After a brief pause that was almost impossible to notice, the bustle in the hall resumed.
— One beer.
Taking a seat in the corner, Gunther surveyed the seething room. On the surface, it was an ordinary tavern. The patrons chatted casually and behaved completely naturally.
But Gunther knew. All of it was a carefully constructed system of signs and ciphers. The angle of a finger, a barely perceptible turn of the wrist, even a blink—within those silent signals, someone received the name of a target for assassination, while someone else got instructions to steal valuable cargo.
...And of course. Information about him, as a “new recruit candidate”, was also circulating actively right now. Rumors about how he had taken down a paladin with a single blow or saved Kalian’s life. Some even openly looked him over from head to toe.
— ...Tch.
A few showed signs of mild disappointment. Probably because, having heard Kalian’s assessment of him as “a talent of exceptional caliber”, they saw nothing special upon meeting him in person.
— Hm.
But instead of shrinking under those appraising gazes, Gunther leisurely sipped his beer. In the game, he had visited this place countless times. As long as he clearly knew what would happen next, there was no reason to be nervous.
«It’s about to start.»
Rustle
Someone sat down at the table across from him. A middle-aged man with drops of beer on his beard.
— Good-looking kid. And whose recommendation got you in here?
As if he didn’t already know. Gunther clinked his mug with his.
— Kalian.
— Ah, Kalian! That old man hasn’t shown his face lately—turns out he’s been having fun with the youngsters.
This talkative man was named Dane. An operative of the Night Raven’s reconnaissance unit. And also a third-tier thief. He was little different from his in-game model, so Gunther recognized him instantly.
[The Gravetomb Thief waves his hand]
— Hey there, handsome. Mind if I sit too?
— Wow, thanks to this pretty boy, luck’s smiling on me again.
Next to ask to join the table was a woman in a robe, batting her eyes. The lower half of her face was completely hidden by a mask, but her large, bright eyes stood out even in the dim light. Maya from the combat unit. A third-tier berserker.
[The Reaper of Steel and Blood shows interest in your physique]
— Well now, since the regulars are all here, I simply have to treat you on the house.
The bartender set a huge pie on the table with a genial smile. Jeremy from the support unit. Also a third-tier mage.
[The Endless Alchemist examines your equipment with curiosity]
All three were veterans and held no small positions in their units.
«...They came to sound out the candidate.»
In the game, interacting with them was an extremely important mission. It determined which unit you would be assigned to after joining. However, Gunther did not engage them in conversation, continuing to nurse his drink alone.
— Hm-m...
— The kid’s not much of a talker.
After making several attempts to strike up a conversation, Dane and Maya soon lost interest and began discussing something between themselves. When, after a few awkward toasts, Gunther drained his mug in one gulp, he lifted his gaze to the ceiling.
“.......”
There, amid cobwebs and dust, nothing was visible. To those around him, he looked like a slightly drunk man taking a breather. Yet for some reason, a strange atmosphere settled over the table. At the moment when gazes filled with doubt turned toward him...
[The Demon of the Far Side of the Moon tilts his head in puzzlement, catching your gaze]
Bingo. Gunther parted his lips.
— Come down.
Dane and Maya’s conversation broke off. Silence spread to other tables as well.
— Dust’s falling into my mug.
.
.
.
A fifth-tier assassin and the ninth wing of the Night Raven. Operative of unit ??, Jedriel, let out an admiring chuckle:
«Just look at him?»
