“...I have no excuse, Steelshade.”
“Forgive us...”
“What did those two do wrong? It is the fault of all of us who underestimated the target’s capabilities.”
The metallic man tapping the steel chair with his finger muttered.
“It seems he has a multidimensional manifestation ability... An android and a cage suddenly appeared... Then, the reason the cage sank into the ground?”
“It seems that happened because something was placed on top of it.”
This time, the answer came from elsewhere. No. 3 Soul Sorcerer, Specter Khaled Al-Farsi—he possessed the ability to pass through objects by dematerializing his body.
The two who had been trapped in the cage had failed to see Oberon pressing down on top of the cage.
“What do you think, Edge? That cage... It couldn’t be cut even with the Ethereal Blade?”
Steelshade asked Takeda, showing interest in the cage made of special metal.
“Actually... I lost the Ether Core Hilt before the battle even started.”
At the words that he had lost the S-grade item [Ether Core Hilt], a vein bulged on Steelshade’s forehead for the first time.
“Hoo... Hahaha... A target with a talent for angering me in so many ways. The losses are no joke. Edge Takeda, arm yourself with another sword. We must go recover our losses.”
“Where...”
“Where else but to catch him and recoup our investment? As for asking whether he will inherit our will—that can wait until later.”
“Are you saying we will launch another attack? B-but right now...”
Steelshade slightly furrowed his brow at Frostbite, who was raising an objection.
“You think I’m a fool? Charging in head-on while they’re putting on a show of force like this is terrible cost-efficiency.”
The heavy steel chair carrying Steelshade moved by an intangible force, approaching the three—Frostbite, Edge, and Specter.
“We just received word. Information leaked through the line we mainly use to wiretap the Korean Tower Management Bureau. They say a delegation including Jeong Suho will come here, so they want to negotiate to end the unnecessary conflict. I replied immediately.”
“T-that... That’s deliberately leaking information...”
“Of course. They’re leaking it for us to hear. Precisely. It seems they knew we were wiretapping as well.”
Specter asked again with a stiffened expression.
“Even so, you intend to meet them? It’s too dangerous. It’s undoubtedly a trap.”
At those words, the chair carrying Steelshade spun round and round. He spread his arms wide and giggled.
“Hey, hey! Of course it’s bait, a dummy, and a trap! Isn’t it obvious it’s an ambush, a noose, and a trap?”
The remaining three merely stared silently at Steelshade, the organization’s founder No. 1, who burst into a mad laugh as if delighted by something.
“Takeda. Haven’t I always said? What did I say a trap is?”
“They exist to be broken... That is what you said.”
“Exactly. You know well. Those who set traps have the confidence that they can catch whatever gets caught in them. Tsk tsk, they always have that delusion. Inferior humans.”
The steel chair stopped spinning and moved away from the other three, returning to its place.
“Hmph. Arrogant fools who make plans without accounting for the variable of an attack they know about but cannot stop.”
Realizing Steelshade had resolved to meet the bait delegation, Specter asked.
“Is there no chance Jeong Suho won’t come out at all?”
“We can check that from our side beforehand anyway. It’s no trouble at all. Unless they’re treating us like fools, he probably will. Instead, he’ll come out with hidden defenses firmly in place. Furthermore,”
As Steelshade’s emotionless gaze swept over them, the three felt a chill simultaneously.
“Leaking information through such a wiretapping route suggests it’s an unofficial operation, not an official one. Above all, they’re coming here to Central Africa. No matter how much they prepare, this is our home ground. It doesn’t get better than this.”
“That... is true.”
Whatever they were thinking, it seemed the Korean Tower Management Bureau was planning a reckless operation.
Did they really want to negotiate? Impossible. They were probably going to set up a dummy and backstab... If so, it was an arrogant plan, just as Steelshade said.
How dare they, knowing where this place is.
Specter shook off his complicated thoughts and left the hall to prepare for battle.
* * *
The security team of the Management Bureau had spread the “delegation negotiation” information through a secret wiretapping route as Suho requested.
The bureau chief who had granted the request wore a worried expression.
“They’ll find out soon. It’s nothing but a meaningless provocation.”
“We’ll get some kind of reaction. Please let me know when a reply comes.”
Sure enough, a response came within minutes.
“Coordinates came through the wiretapping route. The front part seems to be a date, the back part is definitely coordinates.”
“Really? Where?”
“Lookup results... Bria, east-central Central African Republic.”
“Put it up.”
The Bria region of Central Africa was indicated on a large situation board.
“It’s a diamond mining area where various armed groups operate.”
“Incredible... They told us to come there?”
“Yes. Midnight in three days.”
“Unbelievable. They think we’re idiots. Who would enter such a viper’s den... Pass that information to GAEA (Global Admittee Enforcement Agency, International Admittee Enforcement Organization). The Ash Oath Enforcement Division is being pursued by quite a few agencies.”
“Wait.”
Suho stopped the bureau chief, who was about to request cooperation from international Admittee crime response agencies.
“Contact GAEA in a little while. And don’t give this information to any country, not just the United States.”
“Hrmm... Why?”
“What do you think is there? It’s their den, and obviously a trap. Leaking such information will only cost the lives of innocent agents.”
“No, wasn’t that your intention from the start? Then what exactly do you want, Mr. Suho...”
“A trap of a trap of a trap.”
“Excuse me?”
“Perhaps a trap that breaks the trap they prepared against what they thought was our trap.”
The bureau chief’s face contorted as if asking what he was talking about.
* * *
Before carrying out the operation in earnest, Suho went to see Winky.
He had visited Winky at least once a day no matter how busy he was.
But this time, he felt the journey might be rather long.
When Suho appeared in Winky’s gym nest through the dimensional gate, Winky jumped up to welcome him as always... but really, he was far too big now.
Having been fed SS-grade Etherium every day, the creature’s size had grown dramatically.
They said it would take about five years to reach adulthood, but that must have been under normal circumstances.
With abundant Etherium to eat, resting well and growing without major threats, his growth rate was simply insane.
He was no longer merely elephant-sized; he had grown large enough to carry an elephant on his back. When he spread his wings, the distance between wingtips seemed to exceed at least 15 meters.
It was an indescribable feeling. Because of that, Winky’s nest felt smaller as well, which was concerning.
His face, which had been nothing but cute, was gradually taking on the dignified, fierce appearance of an eagle.
“At this rate... Taeung might faint...?”
Grrrr—
Winky lowered his posture as if almost prostrating on the floor and rubbed his head against Suho’s body.
It was a kind of protest demanding food quickly.
“Okay, I’ll give you some. I’ll give you some.”
He manifested a 300-gram lump of silver-glimmering SS-grade Etherium and popped it into Winky’s mouth.
Kirrrrr—
Swallowing it in one gulp, Winky purred contentedly.
“Winky, I’m going somewhere for a bit. It might take a few days.”
Suho stroked the feathers at the nape of Winky’s neck.
“It would be awesome if you were fully grown so I could ride you around.”
An Admittee flying around on a griffin.
Sleeping with the enemy?
Anyway, that scene alone would guarantee a worldwide headline.
But it was a useless thought. He’d immediately be deemed the greatest threat and a raid would begin.
Grrrrrr—
Suddenly Winky raised his head and stared at something.
His cute, round eyes narrowed fiercely.
Recently, Winky had been showing this reaction frequently, and upon checking, Suho learned that a tower had appeared near the gym-like aviary Winky used as a nest.
It was only 42 floors, not a very high tower, so it seemed it could be cleared without issue, but sensing the tower’s aura, Winky felt somehow restless.
He thought he should visit more often to check on him, if only to reassure the creature.
To make sure Winky wouldn’t starve during his absence, Suho manifested a steel box the size of a large bathtub and placed it to one side.
And he manifested a large amount of orange-tinted A-grade Etherium, piling it high inside the box.
“Winky, sorry, but fill your stomach with this while I’m gone. Okay?”
He felt burdened leaving behind SS-grade Etherium, which had never been revealed on Earth, or rare S-grade Etherium.
Watching Winky, who seemed too busy digesting the highly concentrated ether to hear anything, Suho chuckled.
“Tch, anyway, how much is all this?”
Even A-grade Etherium was still expensive.
When supply was abundant it traded for 400 to 500 million won, but if even a slight shortage occurred, A-grade Etherium jumped to over 1.5 billion won.
That Etherium was piled up literally to Suho’s waist.
If the thieves of the world knew this, they’d all gather to rob this gym aviary.
Ah, but it’s a griffin’s nest, so maybe it’s too difficult?
* * *
A show of force like the present one had its limits.
So did blocking and isolating that many people from all aspects of daily life.
Suho’s family, TDM business sites, his companions and their families, the Elysium Heights construction site, Winky... Suho had far too many things to protect.
Thus, only playing defense was far too disadvantageous.
After much deliberation, Suho decided to enter the tiger’s den himself.
He strictly warned the Management Bureau not to reveal any of the relevant information and not to take any measures, then prepared for battle alone.
Of course, he kept it completely secret.
If anyone knew that Suho, who was merely a crafting and support-type, was going to meet the worst criminal organization, they would undoubtedly oppose it with their lives.
In these brutal times, they would use force to stop him. So he had to go alone, and secretly.
Anyone who went with him would only be a hindrance.
Unlike himself, who could jump into his subspace warehouse at any time, even a high-grade Admittee would be in trouble if isolated in the heart of enemy territory.
The bureau chief had suggested requesting orbital satellite bombardment on the location they mentioned, but it was meaningless.
Only small-fry decoys would show up there.
He had to cut off the head.
The straight-line distance from Seoul to Bria in the Central African Republic was about 10,500 km.
Flying straight would be ideal, but that meant passing through the airspace of China, Myanmar, and India.
As he had experienced with Russia, passing directly through those countries was troublesome and annoying. If he hid intermittently, it would take more time, and headaches might arise.
Flying from the dimensional gate point he had marked in Moscow, Russia last time was much closer, but that too required passing over many countries.
So he plotted a route mainly over the sea: East China Sea, South China Sea, Taiwan Strait, Andaman Sea, Bay of Bengal, Laccadive Sea, Arabian Sea, entering the Gulf of Aden to reach the African continent, then passing through Ethiopia and South Sudan to arrive in the Central African Republic.
Due to detouring over the ocean, the distance came to approximately 11,300 km.
Flying at around Mach 2 would take four and a half hours... but with his current wings, it would take far too long.
Thus, he needed to improve his flight speed.
“I did use [Stormbringer Wings] well...”
“You seemed quite pleased that it achieved considerable speed...”
“Right. It’s good, but... it’s an A-grade item at best. It’s like putting a compact car engine in a supercar... The class doesn’t match.”
Watching Suho go on about class, Lavi wanted to cut in again but kept silent.
Perhaps because he had been scolded lately for not knowing things, he had resolved not to interfere in uncertain matters.
“What should I make it with for the best result... Bring out Ethereal Silk, Storm Crystals, and Feathers of Infinity.”
Mentioning materials even Lavi found unfamiliar, Suho moved between workshops.
After being cooped up in the subspace warehouse for another 22 days, Suho obtained a result he was satisfied with.
“Ugh... This so-called EX-grade crafting is pure nonsense. Taking this long just to get one good result...”
“What do you mean long? Only 0.2 seconds have passed outside.”
“...Can we talk in outside terms? I’ve been running around in here for over 20 days!”
“So what? Fatigue barely accumulates inside the subspace warehouse anyway. Are you perhaps tired?”
Feeling the scolding he had given return to him in full, Suho firmly shut his mouth.
He wanted to punch Lavi, who smirked and stuck his tongue out.
Suho stood facing the finished product.
First, transparent wings with a function that put the wearer in a low-grade stealth state;
supersonic flight, wind resistance reduction, inertia control, and rapid braking;
plus a gravity reduction filter to reduce G-forces during extreme flight;
and wings with an added function to generate a protective barrier for the user in emergencies.
Named [Tempestvein Wings], this item received an SSS-grade appraisal.
Through various experiments to make wings that were a superior counterpart to Stormbringer Wings, he realized one thing:
Both the SS-grade and SSS-grade stages were included in “general items,” falling within the ratio of the 30% crafting probability.
When the message “You have succeeded in crafting a normal-grade item (mid).” appeared, it was SS-grade.
And when the message “You have succeeded in crafting an item of fairly good quality (mid-high).” appeared, it was SSS-grade.
Either way, SS and SSS were normal grades. They fell far short of EX, which corresponded to high-grade item (high).
So he had been ambitious, but EX-grade items refused to appear easily.
“Hoo... What am I even doing. Let’s just be satisfied with SSS-grade wings. At this rate, I’ll never depart.”
As Suho left the alchemy laboratory of the subspace warehouse consoling himself, countless S-grade and SS-grade wings were strewn behind him.