City of Outlaws (1)
"Manager Park, by any chance, do you know about Alcatraz?"
After a brief pause, Gong Do-yung suddenly brought up the topic.
"Alcatraz... isn't that the now-defunct Arican prison?"
"Yes, that's right. It's such a famous place that it gets referenced in a lot of places."
After saying this, he handed
a few docunts.
On the top page was the na 'Alcatraz (Alcatraz Island)', just as Gong Do-yung had ntioned.
"... An artificial island floating in the diterranean? There was sothing like this?"
"It's not a place that's generally known. It's tightly controlled by various nations in utmost secrecy."
I listened to Gong Do-yung as I looked over the docunts.
The attached map marked a considerable island in the center of the diterranean.
It was clear this was the very Alcatraz Gong Do-yung had just told
about.
"As I'm sure you well know, manager Park, not all awakeners choose to beco hunters. There are those who use their power for the right things, but just as many who don't. The pri example of the latter would be the organization called UnderStellar."
The docunts contained detailed information about Alcatraz.
To summarize, it was simple.
'Is it a lawless zone frequented mainly by criminals who are awakened?'
I could more or less guess.
I could also see why this place wasn't known to the public.
'If word of this got out, it could incite awakeners to join their cause.'
Especially nowadays.
Public safety in this era was already in a precarious state.
Even without bringing S-rank hunters into the discussion, anyone of A-rank or higher was strong enough to take on a military force.
What if people like that banded together and opposed a nation?
In the past, there were so few awakened that a military could handle them, but is that still possible now?
A single person with too much power can, in so aspects, be more dangerous than an army.
If awakeners with overwhelming power—especially the monsters who are A-rank or above—waged guerrilla warfare, there might be nothing that could be done. You can't just dump missiles on a city.
So, the maintenance of public order these days was, ironically, only possible because of 'good fortune'.
It was possible because there were more awakened who channeled their power in the right direction than there were who used it lawlessly.
That's why nations offer so many privileges to these high-ranking awakeners.
"So, all sorts of criminals from around the world must be gathering at this Alcatraz. The level must be about..."
"It's varied. There are many with low ranks... and several S-ranks as well."
"The only S-rank awakener criminals known to the public are those in UnderStellar, aren't they?"
"They're so well-known, and the most dangerous ones, too. But where do you think UnderStellar gets its S-rank awakener mbers? They scout those considered the cream of the crop at Alcatraz."
From what Gong Do-yung told , the number of S-rank awakener criminals seed to be higher than I expected.
UnderStellar was, so to speak, the top echelon of Alcatraz. Like a royal class, perhaps.
"The reason it's called Alcatraz is..."
"I hear it was nad that to an this world is locking up the potential of the awakened."
At that, I let out a faint sigh.
'That's the sort of ideology the demons would love to stir up.'
If the demons were to completely terraform this world into the demon realm, the world envisioned by the criminals in Alcatraz would arrive.
All non-awakened humans would die.
Just like that other world I once experienced.
***
Afterward, Gong Do-yung's request was simple.
【This is shaless to ask, but Manager Park, could you please investigate the place?】
The reason was obvious.
If there were people involved with the demons gathered there, it would be a gold mine for information.
One might ask why they hadn't already sent an S-rank awakener to wipe the place out, but who would easily attempt that when there are several S-ranks grouped together in one place?
What if, in the process, their own nation's S-rank or A-rank awakener were killed or injured?
'And the fact that Gong Do-yung knows about it ans it might be a place used by those in power.'
There'd be no better place to find capable people willing to handle shady business.
"So, I'll leave it to you while I'm gone."
I first returned to Unique and asked Ardan to handle things in my absence.
Since this job required secrecy, there wasn't much reason to bring along Unique's hunters.
There was nothing to gain or particularly noticeable in this mission, since it was aid purely at taking care of the demons.
'Of course, if there weren't any potential rewards, I wouldn't be here either.'
From what I'd heard, Alcatraz hosted auctions where underworld goods were gathered.
And if I stirred things up there, I might be able to acquire so extrely rare items.
"Anyway, isn't this exactly the situation I'm here for?"
"Well, there might be sothing that cos up, you know?"
"At present, there's not really anything. All I'm doing is managing Point's dungeon schedule."
"If you take over my job, you're going to get busier. The video of Alencia is about to be released, too."
And now, with information about the demons finally out, the video of Alencia defeating Titan in the U. S. was about to be publicly released in full. Up until now, only snippets had been shown, but the entire footage was to be aired in the next broadcast slot.
Thinking about how the broadcasters would react to that, it was clear Ardan was going to be extrely busy.
For now, thanks to the work on Odyssey, Soo-ah, Yeon-ji, and Alencia were all at the height of their popularity.
In Shin Ah-yeon's case, she hadn't actually participated in Odyssey, but reports that she had closed the rift at the Grand Canyon had drawn significant attention from the hunter community.
There was widespread speculation—what sort of magic had she used to close a rift?
"Well, I have a flight to catch, so I'll be..."
"Where are you going?"
Just as I said that to Ardan and got up from my seat, soone called to
from behind.
Turning my head, I saw Shin Ah-yeon, looking more tired than usual.
"Ah, I have an overseas business trip."
"Overseas?"
"Around Italy, I suppose."
It was the diterranean, so close enough.
Shin Ah-yeon didn't bother to ask more and simply nodded.
"... Well, I guess you're off to overexert yourself again, seeing as you didn't even tell us."
I tried to say it wasn't going to be anything dangerous, but I couldn't be sure.
Seeing that I didn't answer, Shin Ah-yeon let out a sigh.
"You know you're not in a condition to overdo it, right? I've heard Estella's authority in your body is being continuously depleted."
"Who told you?"
"Hunter Hugo ntioned it."
Apparently, she'd overheard what was said about Estella while I was fighting Owen.
Hugo had been the hunter in the dungeon with us when we fought Owen.
'What kind of S-rank hunter is such a blabbermouth?'
Giving interviews, spilling all the details to Shin Ah-yeon... he must have been quite busy.
"Lately, I've been studying the nature of Estella's power, and I think the reason your body's authority is being depleted is likely because I haven't awakened the Stigmata."
"You haven't awakened the Stigmata?"
"Estella was aware of her own power, and because she had the Stigmata, she could naturally maintain your authority constantly. But I'm not, so all it does is drain from you. Most likely... every ti Estella's consciousness surfaced, that was probably when it recharged."
Shin Ah-yeon spoke up to there, then hesitated for a mont before saying firmly:
"Don't overdo it. I'll find a way. If you don't, you could die."
She must have been holed up in her room researching Estella's authority all this ti.
I considered talking a bit more about those events, but there was no ti, and it felt awkward to start now.
'I really need to do sothing about the Demon King's Heart soon.'
Looking at Shin Ah-yeon's eyes full of worry, I couldn't bring myself to say I'd handle it on my own.
But after the latest rift incident, the best solution was to beco one with it, rather than simply suppressing it with authority.
That way, I wouldn't need to rely on the authority anymore and would gain imnse strength.
**
There were several ways to get to Alcatraz, but the simplest was to board a ship heading from Italy to Alcatraz.
Upon looking into it, I found that, unlike in other areas, Alcatraz was practically an open lawless zone in Europe.
Of course, with it sitting in the middle of the diterranean, it was impossible for people not to know about it.
Just because it was known, though, didn't an you could just stroll in.
For , it was only thanks to Enoch's help that I was able to secure a ship to Alcatraz.
"I heard it was around here..."
Naples, Italy—a city once devastated by monsters.
After national restoration projects, it was mostly rebuilt, but there were still many dangerous zones left.
The area I was walking through at the mont hadn't been fully restored, and I could feel the tough-looking n eyeing
and murmuring to each other.
'Still, none of them are approaching.'
It wasn't because they were especially sharp-witted.
If anything, it was the most natural reaction.
'Anyone wandering alone in a place like this obviously isn't normal.'
Continuing towards the location designated by Enoch, I followed the gaze of a shabbily dressed man into a deserted alley.
He produced a small coin from his pocket.
It was an insignia proving he was an agent from the Bureau of Paranormal Phenona.
"You're Manager Park Jung-woo from Korea, correct?"
As I approached, a foul stench wafted up, but I didn't let it show.
He was probably disguised so as not to arouse suspicion among the locals.
"Yes, director Enoch told
to co here if I wanted to get to Alcatraz."
"I've already arranged the ship. But you must be careful..."
Just as he said that, as if rembering sothing, he nodded.
"On second thought, perhaps it won't be much of a problem for you, manager Park."
"Looks like this isn't exactly an ordinary ship."
"No, it's operated by a gang called 'Neve'. It's the fastest way to Alcatraz. But it's expensive and there's a good chance so very dangerous people will be aboard."
A ship run by a gang, huh.
To be honest, my only experience with gangs was from movies, so it didn't feel terribly real to .
"Do a lot of criminals use it?"
"Yes. Not just common criminals; it's likely there will be wanted awakeners, too."
And if they were willing to pay for such an expensive ship, they certainly weren't ordinary.
"Here's your ticket. At the Naples port, look for the dock with the red flag—you'll find it easily."
It felt too obvious for sothing illegal.
That only ant the gang's power was sothing the authorities couldn't easily bring to heel.
'Well, what could go wrong?'
I accepted the ticket without much thought.
It was just a ship ride—even if it was run by a gang, what could possibly happen?
That's what I thought—until about six hours ago.
"Kill that bastard!!"
A barrage of colorful Italian curses rang out.
Although I'd cramd a little Italian before coming, even if I couldn't understand most words, the swearing was easy to catch.
'... What a pain.'
Bullets rained down around .
Idly swatting aside those aid at my face, I wondered what to do.
The ticket I'd been holding was now virtually useless anyway.
'Should've just slipped them so cash, maybe?'
There hadn't been any problems until I arrived at the port.
The trouble started when I tried to board and handed my ticket to the staff.
"Five thousand lira."
The man receiving tickets at the entrance held out his right hand with five fingers extended.
Using my excellent Papago translator, I tried to say I already had a ticket and didn't need to pay, but he just shook his head.
"Five thousand lira."
That was nearly 240,000 won in Korean currency.
It wasn't that I lacked the money, but from the looks of him, this was just a personal shakedown of the passengers.
I tried to say I didn't have the money using Papago again, but maybe it translated wrong, because the man suddenly stabbed
with a dagger.
Judging from the magic power in the blade, he was probably about B-rank.
'Why is a guy like this here?'
A B-rank would be treated with respect anywhere.
Of course, trying to stab
with a dagger was another matter entirely.
So I hit him.
You could say it was self-defense, pure and simple.
He attacked
with a knife—I only used my bare hands, which was perfectly humane.
Of course, the impact fractured both his arms and caved in his face, but that couldn't be helped. He should have dodged, not blocked.
"What should I do..."
Looking back, I had no regrets about not paying the five thousand lira.
Now that it had co to this, it might be best to et with the gang boss and explain the situation directly.
That way, I could at least secure a ship.
With that decided, I moved forward.
There was no ti to waste unnecessarily here.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Alligator Alcatraz.
Op, wrong place.
【????????(??????)】
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