Thud thud thud thud thud thud.

Helicopters churned the air fiercely overhead, rotors vibrating the sky. Even with silent air vehicles available, the City Government forces deployed via helicopter.

It was meant to intimidate the swarm of journalists shaking in their boots. In other words, a show of dominance.

Amid the chaos in the heavens, a masked group trod the red carpet. They were all dressed in crisp white suits, perfectly matched.

Their eyes stung from the glare. Hands and feet were concealed in white gloves. Only the gilded masks and body outlines distinguished them.

The man trailing at the rear of the formation stood out in mourning-like black attire. And unlike the others, he wore not gold but platinum. He drew the eye from every angle.

Lee Taebaek glanced sideways at him discreetly. The Megacorp executives approached in orderly, silent steps.

That’s Haragusa’s man.

Haragusa was hosting this parade. Other prideful Megacorp execs might yield the spotlight to him.

He must hold significant standing within Haragusa. Even Daesung’s Madam was mixed in with the group. That alone spoke volumes of their caliber.

Not just any exec.

A core figure of Haragusa. Lee Taebaek concluded as much.

Why do Raken’s elites love masks so much? Did I code that in?

A bitter memory flashed by. Even at his electrocution, animal-masked spectators had jeered with vulgar taunts.

These guys are a different breed.

Elegance emanated from every step across the platform. Just their presence prickled the hairs on his neck.

A different pressure from facing the Ten Wings. Where they crushed the heart, these forced the soul to bow.

They instilled an innate sense of inferiority. Was this the power of authority?

Graceful gestures parted walls of dozens of burly guards, creating a spectacle like no other. Even the rat-like press fell silent, awed.

Lee Taebaek maintained his vigilant stance in feigned composure. Then.

“…?”

His gaze crossed with the platinum mask passing right in front. Through the narrow eye slits gleamed golden irises fixed solely on him.

“…”

“…”

What the hell?

Curiosity overtook confusion. Sure, his looks stood out. The sunglasses hid half his face, but not that sharp nose.

Plenty had fawned during festival prep—men more than women, even. Anyway.

Haragusa’s an entertainment Megacorp.

They’d seen their fill of pretty boys and girls.

A high exec like him could treat celebrities like dogs. For such a man to eye him with interest… the puzzle lingered.

Not scouting me for showbiz. No interest anyway.

Lee Taebaek stiffened his neck. Only then did the platinum mask withdraw its gaze and continue on.

[Lee Taebaek, don’t tell me…]

Seong Hayun, having caught the eye contact, radioed in.

[You know that Haragusa guy?!]

Lee Taebaek suppressed a sigh.

Post-Saber Master encounter, his background was taboo. The ultimate parachute drop? That’s what the team called him.

If so, would I be standing guard? I’d be strutting with them.

[Maybe… Who knows. Cosplaying as a commoner…?]

You’ve never seen real commoners. An upper-layer resident lecturing a lower-layer native on “the people”?

[No connection. Got it for now.]

These ear sockets transmitted thoughts alone. Daesung’s famed tech, apparently.

Too rude for security chatter during VIP passage. Too risky to cut comms entirely. Hence, telepathic link.

[Still, watch it. No one’s come out unscathed tangled with Haragusa.]

A bold statement. Eavesdropped, it’d mean discipline. Good thing her Team Leader rank let her quash it preemptively.

[Siesta’s human experiments seem humane by comparison. Haragusa… Never mind. Won’t get involved anyway.]

This was far riskier. Pure flag bait. Like cursing him to get dragged in.

I’d pass on Haragusa too.

No one knew their depravity like Lee Taebaek.

Haragusa was designed as the penultimate boss before Kergel Magic Tower, Raken’s final one.

If player-Kergel conflict was ideological, Haragusa was pure evil.

In the City’s tangled interests, he simplified their trait for player convenience.

Folks don’t see it. Haragusa hides behind entertainment’s glitz.

Flowers under military boots are tough and tenacious. Haragusa ballooned on WWII nukes as fertilizer. Its malice unmatched.

And they hid it well. Only veterans like Seong Hayun glimpsed the outline.

[On Haragusa… I’ll brief post-event. They might have plants in Daesung too.]

Daesung’s Madam reaching out, huh.

[…Reading minds now?]

Contextual inference? Don’t overreact. Mind your Team Leader dignity.

[…]

Their private chat ended. Megacorp execs took VIP seats. The platinum mask ascended the podium. As expected, the festival’s star.

He took the mic, his presence silencing murmurs into dusk.

In dead quiet, he, or she, spoke.

“Honored guests attending Haragusa’s festival. It’s our privilege that you, who earn hundreds of millions per second, grace us.”

Courteous applause from VIPs. The platinum mask bowed in thanks, continuing.

“People ask Haragusa: Why waste on yearly festivals? Why bother?”

“…”

“Haragusa sells smiles to all. Abstracts over matter. Ideology over cash. And for that, we seek to buy the future, not the present.”

A pause.

“Ladies and gentlemen. Don’t cling to reality—envision the future. Remember: the present is stagnation. Only the future progresses. Obsess over now’s money, miss tomorrow’s fortunes.”

Journalists raised cameras. Flash storm incoming.

“Haragusa’s annual fireworks are our aspiration toward progress. May this voice reach the heavens…!”

Cameras erupted. From stance to diction, perfection. A portrait statesman.

Thunderous applause merged with propeller roar into vivid waves. The artificial island venue rocked on waters amid fervent cheers as the platinum mask concluded.

“May it reach the God of Order!”

“…!”

Ugh—his gut churned briefly.

[You okay?!]

Fine… fine.

[Say the word if trouble, Lee Taebaek. I’ll pull you out.]

Motion sickness struck; Lee Taebaek buffed Mental and Faith to endure. Nerfed the pain too. Queasiness hovered near his chest but manageable.

More importantly.

God of Order.

That phrase nearly snapped his focus. A resonance felt ages ago.

The long-term plan he had set when he joined the Resistance.

It was an investigation into the Chaos Goddess and the God of Order. Lilith Order cleared some doubts. Reality sidelined deeper digs since.

This timing.

From such a heavyweight’s lips… This nausea? His rudderless mind realigning.

Lee Taebaek composed himself, subtly eyeing the podium.

As I thought.

Shutter clicks burst. Fireworks painted the evening sky as if celebrating a new era. Music pounded mercilessly.

“…”

Yet the platinum mask was watching this way too—precisely at Lee Taebaek. Meeting that piercing stare revealed it.

You.

…know me.

My soul, specifically.

Crunch.

Muscles stirred under Lee Taebaek’s shirt. The Para Blade was stored behind the booth; its new power could summon it to his hand like Mjolnir.

If the timing was right, he could slit that platinum neck. But.

Hold back, Lee Taebaek.

In the big picture, personal force mattered less.

Thud thud thud thud thud.

City forces glared from above. Impulse meant no clean exit.

“Unless a sudden incident…”

Then.

Ruuuumble grrrumble ruuuuumble grrrumble ruuuuuumble grrrumble ruuuuumble grrrumble ruuuuuumble grrrumble ruuuuumble grrrumble ruuuuuumble grrrumble ruuuuumble grrrumble ruuuuuumble grrrumble ruuuuumble grrrumble ruuuuuumble grrrumble ruuuuumble grrrumble ruuuuumble

A groan and the road, or podium, writhed. Ripples snaked the platform like passing serpents.

Guards spotted the anomaly instantly. Too late. VIPs scrambled up amid emotional whiffs piercing masks.

Crack—!

The podium split, revealing innards. From the artificial isle’s underground cracks, six figures erupted in fury—a bizarre vista.

At the sight, Lee Taebaek chuckled dryly.

“Ten Wings uniting? Yeah, right.”

He muttered, extending a hand. Lightning-fast, his umbrella flew into his grip.

Each Megacorp’s security mobilized. As if their lineup was a lie, they leaped in unison.

In an instant, they flipped tables and the like into cover, hid behind them, and formed a kill zone. Only gun muzzles peeked out beyond the tables.

With dozens of bruisers doing that, the battlefield reeked. But below was worse. It was already a warzone.