"NEXT!" Rough-looking men were screaming into the queue in front of them.
The place was near the city's center. Lots of people came and went around that area. That was also the reason for the land's abundance of skyscrapers. Street lights supplanted the sun who was blocked by the buildings.
Many a strange thing happened there, but that sight of the lines and the stands gained people's attention. To the uninformed, the most eminent question would be:
"Food?"
"No! Look at the people lining up!"
One line looked commendable. The rest, however, was filled with thuggish people brandishing their weapons. Several even proudly showed off their mechanized limbs and hands. And at the ends of those lines were infamous people.
"Isn't that the youngin' from Du Lax family?"
"The fat man, right? He's working like that? Ain't he the heir?"
"Well, I heard the Cyntral no longer spent on them... Heh serves them right!"
Teakwood's citizens had some galls to gossip about a crime family while standing near them.
"Excuse, me. We're sorry for the inconvenience."
The young man handed out a card and some pamphlets.
[Dusk Zele. Zele Trading Company. Representative] were written on the card. The pamphlets were polar opposite in blandness. It was sayin' about recruitment for a "Collaboration Project" between Cyntral Corp. and Zele.
"This..."
"If you're interested, you can join the line. Hmmm... Although, it will take some time. But, we will pay you handsomely."
"I'm sorry, sir.... I don't think I have what it takes to do it."
"Ah! I see... That's true, huh? But we have a need for helpers too if you change your mind."
Dusk pointed at the end of the normal-looking line.
---
"NEXT!" That peaceful-looking line moved.
This time, a girl came up. She looked educated, different than others lining up there. The man wouldn't dismiss her just because of that, though.
"Name?"
"Nina."
"..." The man lifted his sight. "Alright, put your hand here."
He fished a sheet of paper, put it on top of a tablet, and then pushed it forward.
Nina couldn't perceives what it was for.
"It reads your levels and stuff. Standard practice here. Don't worry." The man was surprisingly very appeasing.
"O-okay." Nina frightfully put her right palm on it.
"Your first time?"
"Yes. Yes, I'm sorry, I'm not from this area."
"Ah, I see. It will take a bit. Please be patient, Missy."
"Yes."
She eased up. Her minds started to wander around.
"Levels, huh? So it really IS another world." she thought.
"It's distinct from the ones Key used to read about. Those seemed to be more historical. This place is very futuristic.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
"I was scared when I arrived missing Maya and Key... I need to thank the orphanage for their assistance!"
And nothing could aids a struggling orphanage more than a ton of money. Hence her registration.
"After this... Maybe I'll look for Maya and Key... But maybe it's too dangerous? I should ask Father-"
"Whoa, WHAT!?" The man in front of her screamed. His voice was oddly loud.
---
GBRUCK!
"WHAT!? WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU LITTLE-"
Ah, that's why the voice was loud. Another official shouted at the same time. No doubt that man had done some changes to his body, his voice sound digitized.
The fat man wasn't even trying to be subtle about his abusive words. More trouble also arose seeing the target of those words.
"A boy?" Nina asked herself.
He wore simple clothing covered in a dark robe. The hood mantled his head but not his face. A glittered red shine peeked through the hood from his left ear.
The fat man was holding a necklace that was clearly a couple with that earring. That was the cradle of the conflict.
"Ugh. LET GO YOU BRAT!"
"No."
The fat man was only there as a help to the main article, Dusk. He didn't man the stand but was standing idle "monitoring" others.
"You! Do something about this kid!"
"Ah- Uhm... Del! Let go of his hand."
Dusk's underling tried to disentangle Del's hand from the fat man. He didn't seem to be as temperamental as someone supposed to be on the fat man's side.
"What happening here!? The line hadn't been moving! Line 1 and 2 report!"
"Ah! M-me too!?" Nina was anguished as she got put into an unpredictable situation.
"I'm not moving till fat man gives me my necklace back." Del's voice was settled. There was no aggression, it felt so natural.
---
"Alright then, you first. What happened back there?"
Dusk brought the five who were causing delays on the lines inside a small room nearby. The owner of the lace was someone Dusk had covered for before.
"It's about this girl, boss."
"This one?"
"Hiii"
Nina didn't really hide her fear well. Dusk was dressed properly for a business representative. However, the clean suits complimented by his sword triggered Nina's survival instincts.
"He's definitely a mafia boss!" her self-defense mechanism was screaming in her mind.
"Hah? What's the problem with her? She looks well... She registering as a helper, right? I don't see any problem."
"It's this, sir." The man offered the test paper.
They were using a lower grade statistics checkers. The quality factored into the completeness of the check. The lowest grade they used only showed the higher of the six main attributes.
[Strength: 91]
[Ego: 91]
Two attributes emerged from the test.
"Holly- Strength... I see, you were trying to convince her to join as a fighter instead?"
"Fighter!?"
"No, boss. I was about to, but..."
Nina was ignored. The man stopped speaking and preferred to eye the other group instead. In a way, he just threw his friend under the bus.
"Distracted.
"Alright, well, what could have distracted this hard-working underling of mine? What, is this boy also had 90s?" Irritation had occurred in his voice.
[Strength: 99]
"WHAT IS UP WITH THIS YOUNGER GENERATION!?"
"I'm older than what you think, you know?" Del corrected Dusk with a flat smile on his face.
"Ugh... Okay, I see that he is also strong. But why stop the line? He's on the merc lines, nothing is wrong. And WHY does the boy keep on holding his wrist?"
Del had never once let go of the fat man's hand.
"No, boss. That is the problematic matter. The young Du Lax said a necklace the boy had was a stolen accessory."
Dusk finally noticed the apple-red necklace the fat man spent all his power holding.
"Hmm... Is this necklace yours?"
"Yes. It was my master's before he died." Del answered so calmly. In every word he uttered, his voice barely changed in tone. He was always sure of his word. His tone spoke as if he was stating an utter fact.
Del would deliver it the same others saying [the sun is bright].
"I see. What about you? Is there any way to confirm this stolen case?"
"My friends from other families had told me about it, I'm sure!"
"That's complicating things. Can you leave the necklace here for a bit? I'll get someone to verify the truth. You can take it back later!"
Del pulled his hand and jerked the fat man towards himself.
"I'm not leaving without this."
RING! RING! It was Dusk's alarm. He needed to leave for another place.
"One after the other...
"Alright let's solve these problems. First, you. Uhmm Nina! For now, let's move you to the reserve fighting force. I won't place you in the frontline, but we desperately need more firepower."
"Fighting is scary..." Nina tried her best not to get persuaded.
"Being in the reserve force will gain you more dollars. Even if you ended up never serving in the actual fight."
"I see... Then please!"
"Good! Now you two."
The fat man had grown miserable being held by Del all this while. He tried to liberate himself a couple of times. But there was no way he could escape level 99 strength. Even his enhancement couldn't match the peak of physical strength.
"Del, can you please let us look at that necklace there for a bit?- One day! If everything checks out I'll give it back before departure tomorrow!"
"I don't trust you." Fair.
"If the necklace is proper but something happened to it, I will cover for anything to make it right with you. How about that? I can compensate you, even!"
"Nothing you own worth that necklace. But, I'll give you that time. But if it's not back tomorrow, it'll be your closure."
"... Okay. Thanks."
Before anyone could add anything, Del let go of his hands propelling the struggler backward. He stood up and fixed the chair position softer than anyone could. He turned his back and fled the room.
"See you later."