Chapter 144 – Amon Family (Four)

“Allow me to formally introduce myself.”

While Amon handed his business card to the boy of unknown origin.

Binjin was still unable to break free from his state of confusion and shock.

The other disciples had carried the fallen Khan aside, and Binjin grabbed his arm, injecting detection Mana.

‘His Ring truly has been destroyed.’

At first, he thought some kind of trick had been used.

But Khan’s Ring was truly gone without a trace.

…Is such a thing possible?

Though he prided himself on having lived a life deeper than most Wizards and accumulated much knowledge, he had never encountered such a phenomenon anywhere.

“M-Master. Weren’t Rings supposed to be impossible to damage or destroy?”

“T-That’s right. As a Vessel that holds Mana, it should possess absolute durability….”

The shock and confusion of the disciples were palpable.

“Master, y-your orders….”

“S-should we call in the others?”

…And so was the immense terror and fear.

Though they spoke as if ready to act immediately, their expressions clearly revealed a desperate hope not to be ordered into combat.

A hollow laugh escaped him for a moment.

‘These guys who bravely stepped forward even against a 3rd Circle Wizard or the monsters of the Wasteland… The title of head disciple seems wasted on them.’

As Binjin thought this, he suddenly noticed his own trembling hand.

“……?”

The trembling grew increasingly worse, and even when he consciously tried to stop it, it wouldn’t listen.

While his mind maintained the most rational thinking possible, his body was experiencing instinctual fear.

‘I see.’

In a way, it was only natural.

The destruction of a Ring was an act that threatened the very foundation of a Wizard, going beyond the simple dimension of strength and weakness in combat.

Just as Binjin was feeling chagrined while watching the trembling spread up to his forearm.

“─I am a businessman who runs a small organization called the Amon Family.”

Amon was desperately buying time with the black-haired boy.

It was to give Binjin, the organization’s supporter, time to assess the situation and reach a judgment.

‘Make a decision quickly. Whether this is an opponent we can defeat. Or an opponent before whom we must bow.’

Receiving the look, Binjin pulled on the reins of his thoughts.

‘Among the Wizards active in the 30-numbered Sectors, I haven’t heard of a practitioner this young with such skill.’

A boy presumed to be a Wizard, carrying a Black Card and wandering the Black Market.

When he first received the report, he hadn’t thought much of it.

It would be a good opportunity for the disciples lacking real combat experience.

He merely thought it was a chance for the Amon Family to show off their influence.

‘But Circle Destruction….’

Who could have predicted he would possess such an absurd technique?

Of course, victory or defeat in battle was a separate issue from the opponent’s technique.

The disciples currently in the building, excluding Khan, totaled 15.

All were 1st Circle Wizards equipped with Rings, with far more combat experience than the 10 who went out earlier.

Having received special training, if they maintained the proper combat formation, they could hunt even a 3rd Circle Wizard without issue.

‘For someone that age to have surpassed the 3rd Circle realm… is an impossibility.’

It was then.

As Binjin, suppressing the trembling of his body, was analyzing the situation as calmly as possible.

…….

…….

His eyes met the boy’s.

Eyes like black holes, drawing one in.

The deep void residing within them.

It was an abyss.

Staring back at the one peering into it.

A deep abyss where one could never know what lay within until they stepped foot in it themselves.

But unfortunately.

The Wizard with many rings of experience.

“……!”

In that instant, he witnessed what lurked within.

Clack! Clack-clack! Clack-clack-clack!

A chilling sensation ran down his spine, and the trembling of his body amplified uncontrollably.

“M-Master…?”

“A-Are you alright?”

The surrounding sounds didn’t reach him.

His mouth went completely dry.

His eyeballs trembled incessantly.

Over his suddenly awakened mind, countless assumptions cast their shadows.

Something he had never experienced in his life.

Along with an intense, instinctual red alert.

‘W-What a foolish thought… The very act of destroying a Circle is something that defies common sense and convention.’

What if the opponent was a skilled practitioner using unknown means to conceal his age?

What if he was a practitioner far surpassing the 3rd Circle, and this approach was intentional from the start?

What if subduing him was impossible even with all personnel mobilized, and thus, ultimately.

‘My Ring is destroyed.’

With each flutter of this cowardly imagination, Binjin’s breathing grew ragged.

“For now, for now, take Khan and return to the mansion.”

At Binjin’s command, the disciples’ faces showed great relief.

And they hastily gathered the fallen Khan and disappeared outside the room.

Creeeak— Thud!

As the door closed, Binjin rose from the sofa.

Closing the distance, he bowed deeply toward Ray, who was listening to Amon, and spoke.

“I-I don’t know from where you hail, esteemed one, but I understand well that you are not someone to be trifled with. I sincerely apologize. Compensation or punishment for our intentional harm will proceed as you wish.”

A deep silence flowed.

It was the moment the hierarchical relationship within the space was clearly decided.

“We’ll talk about compensation and punishment a bit later. First, I’ll finish my talk with this one.”

Under Ray’s gaze, Amon flinched and quickly replied.

“Y-Yes, we were talking about the Black Card. You said you wanted to meet a Card Technician to alter the registration pattern. What are you doing! You bastards! Bring a technician bastard here right now! No, no! The best! Bring the one with the best skills!”

Binjin, who could be considered the organization’s greatest combat force, bowed his head.

This meant there was no more need to assess the situation.

Creeeak—! Bang! Rapid footsteps!

“You slow bastards! Hurry up and run!”

Amon, who had been fuming while watching the retreating backs of his subordinates beyond the open door.

“Ah, s-sorry for the commotion. Wizard-nim.”

As if nothing had happened, he turned to Ray and bowed his head obsequiously.

“I’m curious how long it will take for the technician to arrive.”

“Yes, we have one confined… no, providing room and board in a nearby building, so it shouldn’t take too long. Once again, I apologize. We’ve been having conflicts with another organization recently, and interfering with their business….”

Ray stared intently at Amon, who was gauging his reaction.

‘I didn’t expect the organization’s boss to appear right away.’

It wasn’t a bad thing.

It meant he could convey his demands directly and have them executed that much faster.

‘And did I come on too strong?’

The other side showed no intention of fighting at all and just tucked their tail between their legs.

While it was the best possible outcome among the various situations he had envisioned, he did feel a bit disappointed.

…Anyway, unnecessary energy waste had been avoided.

“Both of you, sit down first. The talk doesn’t seem like it’ll be short.”

Poof—

Fizzle!

“I didn’t say to sit comfortably.”

“Ah, shit, it’s hot! Ah, s-sorry. Crossing my legs is a habit.”

“Hup! My tension eased and I did it without realizing….”

Amon and Binjin, who had sunk deeply into the sofa, let out groans from the sparks behind their backs and straightened their spines rigidly.

Ray looked at the two adult men with corrected postures with calm eyes.

‘They said the Amon Family has roughly 2 to 300 members. If used well, I can conduct Sector inquiries efficiently.’

He had changed the journey’s route.

To move according to the notebook’s directives.

But that didn’t mean he had completely given up on information gathering within the Sector.

If he could instruct another group to conduct inquiries while the party pursued the directives.

Then, he could save quite a lot of time finishing the tasks to be done in Sector 37.

‘And there’s a lot of information I need to find out from the person named Binjin.’

Primarily, about the Wizard with the Monocle and the Dark Blue Mana.

Also, about everything else related to the party’s goals, like the Black Rain and Mercread.

Considering these aspects, it didn’t seem like the meeting with these two could end with just today.

‘We’ll have to meet several more times. To check on the progress of the orders given, and to take time to obtain as much information as possible.’

In other words.

It meant there was a need to continuously manage the malice of these two.

Currently, the black Mana contained in the Vessels of the two was each split into two.

One was malice.

One was fear.

Both were the same color, but their shape and volume allowed them to be distinguished.

The extremely small, needle-like shape with a sharp point aimed this way was malice.

The huge, spherical shape huddled tightly into a single point inside, as if fleeing from this direction, was fear.

‘I need to be careful.’

As emotions pervasive and familiar in the Slums, the boy knew well.

Dense fear toward an opponent always held the potential to transform into malice of equal volume.

“May I ask just one question?”

“I also have something I’d like to ask.”

Just as Ray was lost in thought.

Amon and Binjin asked while gauging his reaction.

“Go ahead, starting from the left.”

“By any chance, Wizard-nim, are you planning to stay long in this Sector 37….”

Considering the plan, he would stay for at least a month, no matter what.

At Ray’s answer indicating it would be somewhat like that, Amon’s face grew complicated.

“Then, by any chance, are you aware of the war currently raging between the two organizations in the east and north?”

“I’ve heard and know about it. That your Amon Family and the northern Nostra Clan are in conflict.”

“Yes. It’s just a useless, meaningless fistfight waged by back-alley thugs. By any chance, while Wizard-nim stays here, if there’s any chance you might get involved in the fight of such inferior breeds….”

Seeing the emotions of anxiety and worry appearing in Amon’s Vessel, Ray thought he understood the intent of the question.

‘Is he worried about the possibility of me siding with the Nostra side?’

It seemed giving a good answer could secure a more advantageous position in the future relationship.

Having finished his thoughts, Ray opened his mouth.

“I have a separate purpose for my travels. I have no reason to get involved in such conflicts. Especially since the Nostra Clan once ambushed me, I have even less desire to help them.”

“Ah! I see!”

Amon’s expression brightened instantly.

“But if my purpose is related to Sector 37, then I might form a cooperative relationship with an organization here. There’s a saying that yesterday’s enemy is today’s friend.”

“Uh… I see.”

Amon’s pupils experienced an earthquake.

“I mean, with an organization in the east, not the north.”

“I see!”

Amon’s expression brightened again.

“Of course, I don’t know if there’s an organization in the east that meets my standards. I saw while wandering the Black Market, but the tailing skills of your organization’s informants were laughable.”

“Uh… th-that so.”

Amon’s expression rapidly darkened.

“I meant their skills were so outstanding it made me laugh.”

“Ahh! I see! Thank you! Wizard-nim!”

“Rather, their skills were so outstanding they were spotted by my eyes at once.”

“That… so.”

Amon made an extremely confused face.

“Wizard-nim, sorry, but I’m not sure if you mean to form a cooperative relationship with our organization or not.”

Ray took out a pen and notebook from his pocket and wrote down several keywords related to the party’s goals.

Scribble—

He tore it out and handed it over.

“First order. Collect information related to this. If the results are satisfactory, I’ll watch your organization’s back while I stay in Sector 37.”

“And if the results don’t meet Wizard-nim’s standards….”

“Then the next place I visit will be the Nostra Clan.”

Amon’s face turned pale, then he nodded with a resolute expression.

Ray turned his gaze toward Binjin.

“Next, it’s your turn.”

After hesitating for a long while, Binjin opened his mouth.

“Wizard-nim, by any chance… are you an Elf?”

It was a question of a kind the boy had never expected at all.