Chapter 142

I ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍hate to say this, but inspecting the front line won't be possible for the time being.

“......”

Having ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍just finished his shower, Jin Crow slowly swirled the glass of liquor in his hand while reflecting on Rekem Ging's words.

It ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was evidently a rather fine liquor.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍drink left ripples lingering along the crystal-clear walls of the glass before releasing a pleasant aroma that lightly tickled his nose.

Inside ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the darkened hotel, he gazed at the pale violet moonlight filtering through the large window before slowly walking over with his glass in hand.

Tap.

Though there was no terrace due to the building's height, there was a small table and chair before the window.

Setting his glass down, he casually took out a Blackstar cigarette, placed it between his lips, and lit it.

Click, inhale.

A dense cloud of cigarette smoke escaped like a sigh, and he rinsed the bitterness from his lips with another sip of liquor.

“......Hoo.”

Using his scar-covered hand, he loosened the top button of his white shirt in discomfort.

The moonlight grew brighter, enveloping his body.

Looking down at the scars covering his exposed neck and collarbone, Jin Crow emptied the remainder of his drink in one gulp.

The heavy 55-proof alcohol slammed down his throat in an instant, sending a sharp sting through his nose.

Instead of reaching for food, he simply took another drag of his cigarette and quietly murmured,

“Hound.”

The name itself wasn't entirely unfamiliar.

He occasionally dreamed about it, but remembered very little.

Still, he wasn't a fool.

Judging from everything he had witnessed regarding Jin Crow's past and what Rekem Ging had told him, he could roughly piece together the outline.

An Anti-Knight Special Operations Unit. Jin Crow was either one of its lower-ranking commanders... or its leader.

If so, then it explained why this body had ended up in such a state.

It also explained why his past had been buried.

Still...

There were far too many things he didn't know.

If only all the memories had been passed down to him.

Piecing together an entire past from fragmented dreams and the occasional scraps of information carelessly spoken by those who knew Hound's identity simply wasn't possible.

And that wasn't his only headache.

“The Dawn Church. And the Creatures......”

Rekem Ging.

Vice Governor-General of Ju Planet.

Major General of the Federal Army.

He had no faith in people.

Even if Rekem extended goodwill by dwelling on events from the past, they had happened to the former Jin—not to him.

Still...

At the very least, Rekem's goodwill appeared genuine.

Because of that, Jin Crow couldn't simply dismiss his warning as meaningless nonsense.

The Dawn Church is stronger than I expected.

In the original story, this was the planet where Baek Hui-young obtained the OOPArt he relied upon the most.

The Dawn Church had served as the villains who tried to stop him.

That was why Jin Crow had never underestimated them.

Yet somehow...

Their influence seemed far stronger than it had been in the original work, where they had been comparable to the resistance groups on the other planets.

Even Rekem Ging himself had gone so far as to stop him.

Lang Wei treated it lightly, but if even Vice Governor-General Rekem is this wary...

Some people might wonder.

If the issue was inspecting the front line, then shouldn't the Creatures be the problem?

Why would the Dawn Church matter?

The answer was simple.

Who did the Dawn Church hate most?

The first would naturally be the Juins who had abandoned the faith.

But equally hateful were the Human Composite State that had stripped them of their privileged position.

The problems on Colony Planets have always been complicated.

Some, like Captain Lang Wei and many other Juins, believed that if the existing system and nation had rotted beyond repair, then it was better to bring in outside forces to reform them.

But there were just as many who argued that such reasoning merely justified exploitation and invasion.

And what about the Dawn Church?

Regardless of their goals, they were fanatics willing to drive their own followers to near-suicidal deaths.

If they heard that the Central Special-duty Academy was conducting a front-line inspection...

Would they simply reply, "Ah, I see. Understood." and leave it at that?

Well... Ju Planet wasn't the only candidate.

There were more Colony Planets exposed to Creatures than he'd originally thought.

And their numbers would only continue increasing.

If this truly became too dangerous, he could simply choose another Colony Planet instead.

Even so...

There was another reason he hadn't left immediately.

The OOPArt that becomes Baek Hui-young's beloved weapon... Gae Assail.

In the original story, Baek Hui-young obtained it during the break following the first-year midterms.

But he still didn't possess it.

That was the first reason he had brought Baek Hui-young to Ju Planet through the front-line inspection—to help him obtain it as quickly as possible.

Of course...

That wasn't the only reason.

Having smoked his cigarette down to the filter, Jin Crow crushed it into the ashtray before lighting another.

His gaze drifted beyond the window.

Toward Ju Planet's capital—

Pure Land.

Staring at the tranquil, dreamlike nightscape, he quietly murmured,

“Hliðskjálf.”

Another OOPArt that had existed throughout Ju Planet's entire history.

Even Baek Hui-young had only learned of its existence at the very end of the original story.

The throne that reveals countless possibilities... only once.

For some reason, after using it a single time, Baek Hui-young had never mentioned it again.

But Jin Crow needed certainty now more than ever.

Am I truly preventing the world's destruction?

After pondering that question for quite some time while slowly inhaling cigarette smoke—

「There's something I need you to investigate, Ner.」

He operated his watch and sent a brief encrypted message through the secure channel connected to Ner.

「Investigate the Dawn Church (黎明敎). And Hound. Report everything you find. Leave as few traces as possible.」

At that moment—

Beneath the moonlight slowly disappearing behind the clouds—

Jin Crow's black eyes...

“......”

Shone with a darkness deeper than ever before.

“Thank you for choosing Sirt Navigation Services, Cadet Baek Hui-young.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Baek Hui-young politely thanked the male android, who had even carried his luggage out onto the platform for him, before pulling his cap down low and walking away.

Not every planet within the Human Composite State welcomed soldiers.

However, Sirt Planet—the homeworld of Sigma Satellite City—was a garrison world whose economy was closely tied to the Academy.

As a result, the public generally viewed cadets rather favorably.

“Third-year. Aren't you going to wear your cap properly?”

“I just took it off to wipe some sweat.”

Of course...

That also meant Military Police responsible for cadet discipline were stationed throughout the platform.

“Going out?”

“An overnight pass.”

He handed over the overnight leave permit he had prepared in advance to the Military Police officer standing guard at the platform entrance.

After inspecting it and finding nothing wrong, the officer nodded.

“Don't leave the garrison district, and make sure you return by the designated date and time.”

“Yes, understood.”

Although they both belonged to the Federal Army, this unit was separate from the Central Special-duty Academy's Military Police Battalion.

There wasn't much else to say.

Originally, they had belonged to the same organization.

But after cadets became too friendly with Military Police officers and repeatedly had their misconduct quietly overlooked, the units had eventually been separated entirely.

It wasn't particularly important.

Baek Hui-young paid it no mind and walked out of the platform.

Soon...

The all-too-familiar scenery of Sirt Planet came into view.

“......”

Towering skyscrapers.

Ordinary Composite State citizens walking through the streets.

Passenger ships constantly crossing the skies overhead.

Back in ancient times, humanity had imagined future cities as places where flying taxis filled the skies and everything was fully automated.

How exactly did they expect to deal with traffic accidents in the air?

Of course...

Flying taxis did exist.

But they weren't nearly cheap enough for ordinary people to use regularly.

Unless there was an emergency, there was little reason to ride one.

Besides...

He'd heard they weren't particularly economical anyway.

Thinking that, he hailed a nearby black taxi.

The driver had been lazily watching a noir drama starring an android protagonist.

“To Secreti Hotel.”

“Yes, sir.”

The driver skillfully activated autonomous driving.

The taxi's onboard AI immediately began navigating toward the destination.

Click, inhale.

Baek Hui-young silently lit another cigarette.

The driver said nothing.

He merely switched on the cabin's air filtration system before raising the partition separating the front and rear seats.

I was granted two days of overnight leave over the weekend.

Naturally, that meant he couldn't leave Sirt Planet, the designated garrison district.

But...

He intended to head to Ju Planet.

I'm already a little late. If I delay any longer, it could become dangerous.

The reason was simple.

He still hadn't obtained the most important OOPArt that had become part of his routine during nearly every previous loop.

Of course, there was no immediate rush.

It had taken him three full loops just to gather enough information to locate it in the first place.

The real problem was the upcoming front-line inspection.

Instructor Jin Crow's front-line inspection. Now that even Corps-class Creatures have appeared, I can't keep relying on a mass-produced spear.

The other cadets looked upon the inspection plans with doubtful expressions.

But after everything he'd experienced this loop...

He was certain.

Instructor Jin Crow would absolutely carry out the inspection.

He had sensed it back on Mercato.

This loop was fundamentally different from all the previous ones.

There were too many variables he had never encountered before.

Even the speed at which the Creatures were advancing was abnormal.

I need that spear.

Even if it meant abandoning every other OOPArt...

He had to obtain that one.

Because what he'd discovered during the previous loop suggested...

It might not simply be a spear.

How long had he remained lost in thought?

The partition separating the driver from the back seat lowered.

The driver spoke bluntly.

“We've arrived, Cadet.”

“Yes.”

After paying the fare and stepping out, he looked up at the sign hanging over a rather shabby hotel.

「Secreti」

The exterior fell somewhat short of what one might expect from a hotel.

But Baek Hui-young paid it no mind and walked inside to check in.

“I have a reservation.”

“Let's see... Ah, Mr. Baek Hui-young. Here it is.”

Taking the key marked Room 404, he entered his room and silently began changing out of his cadet uniform.

He also removed the watch that effectively served as his military identification.

In its place, he put on an ordinary civilian model.

“......”

When he finished changing and looked into the mirror...

The reflection staring back at him was no longer Academy Cadet Baek Hui-young with ash-gray hair.

Instead...

A man dressed in a black cap and black techwear.

His distinctive ash-gray eyes gleamed beneath the brim.

Slipping a forged identification card, cash, and a bag containing a spare spear over his shoulder, he leaped through the window without hesitation.

Boom!

A heavy metal dumpster became his landing platform, echoing loudly throughout the alley.

Ignoring the noise, he casually took out another cigarette, placed it between his lips, and glanced at the watch on his wrist.

【15 : 36】

The passenger ship bound for Ju Planet departed at five o'clock.

There was still plenty of time.

Gae Assail. And...

After confirming the forged identification card bearing the name White, he stepped out of the alley.

Pulling his cap down even lower, he reviewed the true purpose of this trip once again.

If possible... Ean Yung's life as well.

At that moment—

Ash-gray eyes gleamed ominously beneath the shadow of his cap.