Hayate spent the next hour flying towards the distant light he had seen earlier. As he neared it, he realized that what he was seeing was not a natural formation, but an artificial one.
As he got closer, the magnitude of the thing in front of him became clear. It was a massive city, encased in a clear glass dome. The size of the place was incredible, almost overwhelming. The wall surrounding the city was at least twenty meters tall, made of some unknown metal.
Hayate circled above the city, trying to take in everything he was seeing. The place was like something out of a futuristic sci-fi film, except it was right here, in front of him.
The city was alive with lights and activity, but it was all contained within the confines of the glass dome. He could see people moving around, their forms appearing tiny from his vantage point.
He descended, his leathery wings fluttering as he aimed for a spot near the city wall to land.
Hayate decided to land a couple hundred meters from the city. He found a withered tree off to the side and touched down quietly behind it.
He tucked his wings close to his body, the leathery surface folding neatly. He wanted to observe the city for a moment. He glanced around, noting the lack of coverage here. He leaned back against the bark of the tree, taking a moment to steady his rapid heartbeat. From this distance, the city seemed even more imposing. The glass dome sparkled in the artificial light, contrasting to the it’s dark surroundings.
As he looked closer at the city wall, something caught his eye. Mounted at regular intervals along the wall were what appeared to be automatic turrets. They were small, sleek, and looked deadly.
Each turret was equipped with a rotating barrel, presumably loaded with some kind of ammunition. All of them were unmanned, possibly fully automatic.
The sight of the turrets made him feel a bit un-safe. They seemed very advanced and looked like they could do a lot of damage.
He wondered why a city would be heavily fortified like this, with unmanned turrets guarding the outskirts. It almost made the place seem like a prison.
Hayate spoke to himself quietly, thinking aloud. “Maybe it’s to protect the city from bandits? Criminals probably run freely in a wasteland like this, so the fortifications could be to kill them.”
He wasn’t sure if that theory was correct, but it was all he could come up with.
Hayate then thought, would bullets harm him? In the game, his character was immune to any physical damage; bullets did piercing damage, so he theorized they wouldn’t hurt him. But he wasn’t sure and definitely didn’t want to test it.
The last thing he wanted to do was find out the hard way that bullets could indeed hurt him. And even if they didn’t, he didn’t want to give the people any reason to shoot at him.
If he tried to waltz into the city right now, he would definitely attract some unwanted attention since Hayate stood tall, his stature imposing. Standing at 7 feet (210 cm) with a broad frame, one could immediately tell that he wasn’t fully human. His wings extended from his back, the leathery membranes spanning a good six feet (180 cm) on either side of him. They were black as night, shimmering with an otherworldly sheen.
His eyes were a deep blue, but they were slitted like that of a reptile. His face was menace, the horns protruding from his silken pitch black hair adding to his fearsome appearance.
He mumbled to himself, thinking aloud. “I can’t just go in there like this. They’ll question my identity, my appearance, everything. I need to figure out a way to get inside without drawing too much attention.”
As Hayate was contemplating his options, a thought struck him. He remembered one of the spells at his disposal: true invisibility.
[True Invisibility] was a spell of Grandmaster-tier (Tier 5), capable of rendering the caster completely invisible. It hid the caster’s appearance, any sound they made, their heat signature, and even their mana presence. It was a powerful spell that had saved him more than once in the game.
It had a cost of 5 mana points (mp) per 30 seconds, and its counter was another spell, [True Sight], which could detect anyone hidden by [True Invisibility] or any other invisibility spell but he didn’t need to worry about it right now.
With this spell, he wouldn’t have to worry about attracting unwanted attention. He could move around incognito, observing the city without being detected.
Focusing his mind on the spell. “[True invisibility]” he said, and a thin veil of magic washed over him.
The air around him shimmered for a moment and then he was completely invisible, even to himself. The spell had worked.
Standing now behind the withered tree, he knew that no one would see or hear him unless they also had the ability to see through magical concealment.
With a burst of confidence, Hayate stepped out from behind the tree and began walking towards the massive city wall. He was now completely invisible, his presence masked by the spell.
As he walked, he glanced down at his feet, noticing that even his shadow had disappeared. The spell was more thorough than he had expected. He also noticed that he wasn’t leaving any footprints. The lesser legendary ranked boots he was wearing, the “Boots of the Wanderer,” had the passive effect of not leaving any footprints along with giving him the ability to walk on both water and lava in game.
Along with being completely invisible, he now also had the added advantage of being untraceable by footprints in the snow.
He approached the exterior city wall, taking in his surroundings. The wall was massive, rising at least 20 meters into the air. It stretched as far as he could see in both directions, entirely circling the city and from the wall rose up the glass dome.
Hayate looked up at the wall, he realized it was no ordinary barrier. It was the foundation for the massive dome that covered the entire city. It was essentially a wall and a foundation for the dome, all in one.
The wall was not just tall but also thick, made of some material he couldn’t identify. It looked as solid as it was formidable. It would be difficult to scale or penetrate this barrier from the outside.
He sighed and walked alongside the wall, he finally reached the entrance to the city, a large gate that allowed entrance onto a road. The road was made of asphalt, but time had taken its toll on it. The pavement was rough and bumpy, showing signs of wear and tear from years of use.
The road was clearly man-made, standing out in contrast to the wasteland around it. It stretched out leading towards the city inside the dome and further away from the city to other area’s.
He then turned his attention to the gate. The gate, standing at an imposing 10 meters tall, was made of smooth, black metal. There were no obvious openings or handles on it, making it seem almost seamless. Looking at it, Hayate had the distinct feeling it could take a direct hit from a tank and still stand without a scratch.
He stood there, staring at the gate. His face a mixture of awe and slight irritation.
“Damn, talk about overkill,” he grumbled to himself, eyeing the colossal gate.
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From where he stood, he was unable to see any hint of a control mechanism or a way to open the gate. The black, smooth metal surface seemed to mock him, daring him to try to breach it.
He let out a frustrated sound. There was a spell back in the game that would allow him to move through solid objects, but he hadn’t learned it. He kicked a pebble at his feet in annoyance.
“Idiot,” he cursed at himself under his breath. “Why didn’t I learn that spell?”
He took a step closer, inspecting the gate closely. There had to be some way to open it, right? Just his luck that it was a solid slab of metal without any visible seams or handles.
Hayate considered his options. He could use a legendary or mythical rank spell (tier 6-7) like [Dragon god’s wrath] to blast his way through, but that would definitely not be low profile. The sound alone would likely alert everyone within the city to his presence.
He shook his head at the thought. As much as he didn’t like it, he needed to find a more discreet way in.
Hayate’s ears perked up as he felt the ground shake beneath him. He turned back to look at the road and saw nothing, but then a moment later, the air shimmered, and what appeared to be tanks materialized in front of him. Tanks, 4-5 of them, materialized out of thin air. Their forms shimmered for a moment, before becoming fully visible.
The tanks were large and menacing. Each one stood tall at around 10 feet, their width reaching 14 feet. Their gun was a massive 36 feet long, and the hull stretched to 30 feet. Their sharp yet sleek form was accentuated by the thick metal armor that covered them, paint in a dull grey, almost blending into the ashen grey snowy environment surrounding them.
Each tank had rounded corners and smooth lines, giving it a sleek, aerodynamic look. On the front section, Instead of the expected massive gun, each tank was equipped with a colossal railgun, topped with an automatic machine gun.
What struck Hayate the most was the lack of windows on the tanks. They were completely opaque, their thick metal hulls hiding away their internal mechanisms, meaning anyone looking at the vehicle head on would only see an impenetrable wall of metal.
The only protrusions visible were small road lights, currently turned off, embedded into the tank’s frame.
It was clear that these were not ordinary tanks. Their design, combined with their size and weaponry, hinted at a level of technology and functionality far beyond what he was familiar with.
As the tanks moved forward on the road, they left deep tracks in the old asphalt and snow beneath them.
Hayate stood there speechless as he looked the tanks over, his heart thudded in his chest.
“These aren’t just normal tanks,” he mumbled to himself. “I’m pretty sure humans live around here, but these things...”
He paused, studying the metal hulls more closely. “No windows...no visible crew...are they using hidden cameras or...are they unmanned?”
As Hayate observed the tanks, a thought crept into his mind. He recalled reading somewhere that they were working on making things as unmanned as possible.
His mind then latched onto a fragment of a memory, some old quote that he couldn’t quite place. “With the power of a bow and arrow, you could kill without even being there.” He recalled the line faintly, “and the conclusion was That this is the end of bravery.’’
It wouldn’t be too much of a surprise to him if these were truly fully unmanned.
To satisfy his curiosity he decided to check if they really un-manned or not, Hayate whispered the words of the spell. [Detect]
The spell, a master rank (4th tier), allowed him to detect mana signatures or hear signatures of anyone within a 100 meter radius. It costed 10 m.p. and lasted for 2 minutes.
As he cast the spell, he watched closely. But there was no change in his surroundings. No mana or heat signatures, no sounds. Just silent, cold air.
He looked at the tanks again. Still, no mana/heat signatures.
They really were unmanned.
Hayate was a bit fascinated. These tanks were operating without any human presence, either remote or direct control.
“Autonomous war machines...” he murmured to himself.
The tanks’ autonomous nature reminded Hayate of golems he had encountered in the game.
Golems, back in the game, were versatile creatures made from various materials. Whether it was clay, stone, or metal, the quality of the material used directly influenced a golem’s strength. To create a golem, you needed to first gather the necessary materials, and of course, a core.
There were four different tiers of monster cores, ranging in rarity. These cores were the key to making a golem truly come to life. While temporary golems could be summoned, they were inherently weaker than their crafted counterparts. The crafted golems, unlike the summoned ones, were permanent until they were destroyed.
Hayate’s thoughts were interrupted as the tanks rolled closer to the gate, stopping right in front of it. The gate trembled briefly, and then slowly began to open. The sound of metal scraping against metal filled the air, the gate slowly sliding open to reveal a massive opening into the city. The tanks rolled in first, their hulking forms gliding through the opening like they were made for this.
Hayate, still invisible, began to carefully follow the tanks as they moved inside the city. He kept a safe distance, ensuring that he wasn’t too close to any of the tank’s.
As they crossed over the threshold into the city, his heart hammered in his chest. He was now inside the confines of the dome. Now inside the dome, his eyes widened in awe at the sight before him.
A wide road ran straight ahead Directly from the gate before branching out into four different directions, marking the beginning of the city itself. The area was a condensed urban jungle, with tall, high-rise buildings stretching up towards the domed sky.
Hundreds of lights illuminated the area, bouncing off the tall buildings and creating a glittering, artificial night. Flying cars buzzed through the air above, barely making a sound, while hovering vehicles silently glided along the roads, carrying people to various destinations.
But what truly drew Hayate’s focus was the sight of humans, going about their business.
The people bustling around were a mix of different ages, races, and genders. Some were dressed in simple clothes while others wore more futuristic-looking outfits. Their looks accentuated by various modifications. A few even had what looked to be cybernetic enhancements.
A glance around the corner showed a plethora of small shops and businesses, with lights and holographic signs advertising goods and services that seemed straight out of a sci-fi novel.
Despite the cold temperature outside, the area within the glass dome seemed warmer, the city’s own microclimate working to maintain a comfortable temperature
The air within the dome city was not only warmer but breathable, too. The reason was twofold: the heavy smog that blanketed the outside world prevented any sunlight from reaching the surface for the past 20 years, keeping temperatures consistently low. In winter, they dropped even to 0°C.
To counteract this, the city was littered with heaters, and the dome itself was equipped with air filtration systems. Though they hadn’t been cleaned in the last two years, they still ensured breathable air, making it unnecessary for people to wear masks.
Feeling no change in temperature due to his supernatural immunity, Hayate paid no mind to the city’s internal heating. His body, as usual, maintained a consistent 35°C, unaffected by the external environment.
But he did register the difference in air quality, breathing in and feeling the air clearer and fresher than it had been outside. This minor comfort was a welcomed relief.
Hayate’s heart leapt for a moment as he observed the humans walking past. The realization that this city was likely on Earth confirmed his suspicions, and for a split second, he felt a flicker of relief. But just as soon, he reminded himself not to let his guard down. Yes, he was on Earth again. But in what era? What year was it? And what kind of circumstances had led to this urban hellscape? Even if this was Earth, the implications were huge. The technology, the city itself, and the seemingly ordinary people going about their lives – it all pointed to some major event or development that he was clearly missing.
Had a war happened? Some kind of global catastrophe? Or was the world simply in the midst of a technological revolution he had yet to witness? He thought
He turned his head and in the corner of his vision saw an advertisement. The first thing he noticed was the holographic 3D ad that hovered in mid-air. It was a level of technology he had only seen in fiction. But then he noticed something else, something that made his heart skip a beat.
The ad was in Japanese. Japanese script and language filled the screen.
The holographic ad was a sight to behold, hayate’s eyes winded as he read what was written on the screen. The words “Model 6 super lung pack” were plastered across the screen, accompanied by a picture of a metallic lung embedded in a mechanical rib cage.
“Tired of feeling winded?” the ad asked, “Struggling with smog and pollutants?”
“Introducing the 17L super lung pack,” it continued, “With 2 hours of onboard stored oxygen, perfect for a contained or low oxygen environment.
The ad then proudly boasted “Introductory price: ¥191,270,636” and promised an easy payment option.
To top it off, the tagline in the bottom read “Take a breath of fresh air whenever you want — live longer, live stronger.”
The price listed took his breath away.
¥191,270,636!
And that was an “introductory price”
Hayate couldn’t help but shudder. The value of money seemed to have inflated to astronomical heights. The cost of a “Model 17L sup..whatever it was” was nearly two hundred million yen, as an introductory price. What did that say about the rest of the city’s economy? Did people really have that kind of money to spare? Or was this a symbol of wealth disparity, with the rich able to spare astronomical sums on luxury items while the rest had to survive in a smog-filled world.
Inflation aside, the price being in yen and the ad being in Japanese solidified Hayate’s thoughts. The city, the people, the language – it all seemed pointed towards one conclusion. He was in Japan.
But the thought brought with it more than relief. He frowned, looking around at the futuristic city once more. Yes, he was home. But what had happened to his home? What had transformed it into this wasteland.
Meanwhile the tanks rumbled forward, the crowd parted quickly to let them pass. However, one elderly man was not quite quick enough to get out of the way. Caught in the path of the tank, he was knocked to the ground with a sickening crunch.
His body fell to the ground, his bones clearly shattered. The tanks trundled on indifferently, and strangely, not a single person paid any attention to the old man who was now writhing on the ...ground in agony. They merely continued on with their day.
This was not the Japan he remembered.
The apathy and indifference of the people towards the suffering of another was mind-boggling to him. He remembered a time when people would rush to help the elderly, to assist those in need. But here...it was as if lives didn’t matter. He wanted to reach out and help, wanted to offer the man some sort of comfort or aide. But something held him back. Perhaps it was the fear of drawing unwelcome attention to himself at a time like this. To reveal his concern, to help, would risk putting him in danger. After all, who was he but a stranger in a land which is now foreign to him.
Hayate, after letting out a silent sigh, continued onwards along with the crowd. He watched as the tanks lumbered to the intersection, the massive vehicles turning right as they rumbled forward. He walked up to the same intersection, following the tanks’ path. But he turned left instead, wanting to explore the area that the tanks were not going into.
He took in the sights of the city. Despite his initial surprise at the change in his surroundings, he was starting to adapt. The city was alive with activity. There were no trees or greenery that he could see, just concrete and metal. Everything seemed geared towards efficiency. There were no parks, no open spaces. Just building after building, and people moving about quickly and efficiently.
There were no trees, no plants, no wildlife.
No birds, no insects. Nothing to break the monotony of the endless metal structures. It was as if nature itself had been banished and replaced with cold, hard steel and machinery.
He thought about the smog, the contaminated air, and how it could have killed off all the plants and animals outside the city dome. Perhaps it was due to a pandemic, a biological weapon that had destroyed all life in the world. Or maybe it was a war, a war gone horribly wrong, resulting in a nuclear wasteland.
But as he walked, he realized that speculating on the cause was almost as futile as trying to count the numerous holographic ads that surrounded him. What he needed was information. Real information about what had happened in the world, not wild theories based on personal observations and guesses. He realized that speculating on the cause was almost as futile as trying to count the numerous holographic ads that surrounded him. What he needed was information. Real information about what had happened in the world, not wild theories based on personal observations and guesses.
Hayate paused, his footsteps faltering as a thought occurred to him. He had been walking blindly, taking in the sights and sounds of the city. He needed information. The kind that only someone local would have. He needed to find someone and talk to them, ask questions, gather information. The problem was, finding the right person to talk to. Who could he trust? Who would have the answers he needed?
An idea suddenly came into his mind. Mind control magic.