I gazed through the window of my office, viewing the crowd below. Many people milled about, checking the stores and stalls that had been setup nearby. They formed a sea of colors, with the occasional glint amount the masses. The city had been growing at an unprecedented rate recently, gaining a hundred new members in the past year. Their origins and intentions did not matter to me, so long as they kept the peace.
As I watched, I could also pick up some of the conversations. “My all seeing eye is showing that the pearl they’re selling is a hidden artifact. You should grab it, disciple.” “I wonder if there’s any paint being sold. I’m tired of using my own blood every time I run out.” “I bet that person with the giant sword wouldn’t notice their gold missing. What do you mean someone is watching me, I’m invisible?” “This sucker is showing interest in my ocean pearl. Maybe I can get away with charging triple.”
The market next to the police station was the safest area in the city, but every so often a new citizen would try something. I would have to notify an officer about the issue soon. I kept watching the crowd, ignoring the pile of papers on my stone desk. The sound of footsteps approached my door. They were light, and held an even pace, denoting which of my secretaries was about to knock on my door.
I shuffled over, opening the wooden door to my office. It was one of the few things in the building made of wood, although I would have preferred stone. On the other side was a young spectacled man with short light blue hair who seemed shocked. I spoke, my voice more of a growl,“There’s a potential thief down in the market. Can you send an officer to patrol the area Agrin?” “I- yes sir!” I watched Agrin turn around and start walking away. I went to shut the door.
Agrin turned around before I could and grabbed onto the handle. “Not so fast Chief, we talked about this! You’re not getting out of your meeting that easily!” Sigh. It worked last time, so I hoped it would work again. Agrin pulled out some papers from a bracelet on their wrist. “I need to go over some of the recent cases, a complaint from one of our officers, and then there's your trip to the academy to meet the students.”
“Alright Agrin, enough.” I head back to my desk to sit down on the stone chair. I took the papers on my desk and slid them into a stone drawer. One day I was going to open that thing and be buried alive in paper. It would be a fun surprise if anyone had the courage to try and rob my office. Agrin coughed to get my attention. I guess he had started talking at some point. “Oh sorry, I was thinking about something important.” Agrin’s spectacles flashed. “Stop lying to me Chief! Now as I was saying, we found traces of a disturbance in sector 2, area 21, location 3. A foreign power was detected entering location 3, but we couldn’t find where they came from. “
I raised my bushy eyebrow. Now that was interesting. While not unheard of, most disturbances could be traced from point A to point B. Being foreign on top only further raised suspicions. “Have they narrowed down what kind of power it was?”
Agrin shook his head. “They were so weak they barely registered on our array. We believe it to be of spiritual origin, although whether that is ancestral, ritual, tribal or religious is unclear. However, I believe there is something more to this. A lot of new arrivals have originated from sector 2, and many of them spoke of being transported first. I believe that this disturbance is related to the increase of new citizens.”
I nodded along, readjusting my cap once. “The sudden spike in heroes has only started recently. I don’t see why you think there’s some kind of conspiracy behind it. We still need to wait and see if the trend continues or if it's just a coincidence.” “Understood sir.” Agrin pulls out another paper. “Our officer in sector 2 area 1 location 1 has retrieved the seed of corruption. They should be back by the end of the day.”
Ah, some good news for once. “Give them a week of vacation if they want it. How many do we have now?” Agrin pulls out another paper from his bracelet. “It appears to be somewhere between 10 and 20.” My brow creased in irritation. “Have we still not found a way to observe them directly?” Agrin pulled out another paper and placed it on my desk. It depicted the analysis of a seed. “They keep disappearing and reappearing at random intervals. They seem to last longer with a civilian present, but we haven’t taken further measures to study the relationship.”
These damn seeds had an annoying trait. The stronger you were, the harder they were to find. Even the weakest in the city could only observe a couple of them at a time. There was another alternative, but… “Make sure the researchers don’t get any stupid ideas about implanting them in someone.“ “Understood sir.” “We should see if a seed will change when introduced to a different area. Have an officer choose a location at random, and another transport and record any changes observed.” Agrin nodded before setting down the papers he had first pulled out.
“Officer Noh Si drafted a complaint about ex-officer Shen Illu’s current activities. He has set up a company undermining our own work.” I sat up straight. “What is he doing now?” Agrin pointed at the second line on the first page of the papers I wasn’t going to read. “He calls himself a private investigator. Mr. Illu has been traced traveling to various areas, but the locations found on our array don’t add up. He seems to have found a way to hide his travels.”
Ah Shen Illu. I stroked my snout, remembering old times working and drinking with him. Shen Illun was one of those rare officers who had both the drive and ability to succeed in our field, without letting it get to his head. Truth is, he would have become the next Chief if he didn’t quit. While he left due to disagreements with how some of our operations were handled, he knew what he was doing and wouldn’t cause any major issues.
I waved my hand, covered in scars and fur,” Leave him alone for now. If any issue occurs, make sure to let me know first.“ Bang! The door to my office was slammed open, with some new scars across its surface. In walked my daughter Noh Si, a spitting image of myself if a bit thinner. She had sharp eyes, glossy fur, and a long snout like my own. I could see from the gouges on the door that she was taking care of her nails properly.
I stood up and greeted her. “What brings you into my office on this fine day?” Agrin had started sweating, which was a common occurrence when faced with two presences as strong as we were. Even worse, he was between us, so I took a few more steps to get in front of him and block some of the pressure. She growled in a voice that would have been difficult to discern from my own,“I have new evidence that ex-officer Shen Illu is related to the seed of corruption.” I raised both my eyebrows this time. She had always had a strong fixation on the man.
At first I hoped that she was interested, but it turns out that Shen had a way of triggering her instinct for danger. Truth be told, I understood her plight.My own instincts warned me that Shen was dangerous, but I had the wherewithal to not act on them. “What proof do you have that an honored officer was responsible for the seeds of corruption?” I added an edge to my voice that only someone familiar with our kind would be able to pick up.
Officer Noh Si shivered a little, but pushed on,” One of the new arrivals described meeting someone who sounded just like Shen. They came from Sector 2 Area 1 Location 3! He was in the same world as the seed!” I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. “Now now, we both know just how far locations 1 and 3 are from each other. Plus, proximity doesn’t equal involvement.”
Agrin tried to interject,” Chief-” “The new arrival said that Shen was abusing his powers and corrupt!” I scoffed at that. “Hmph! How many times have you heard that this week about our officers?” Noh Si opened her mouth to respond but I cut her off. “Besides, he followed protocol, right?” Noh Si huffs but admits as such.
“Chief Roh Si!”
Startled, I turned around to Agrin, who was looking at his watch. “You need to be at the academy in a few minutes! Please speed this along or it will reflect poorly on our department.” “Right, right, sorry about that Agrin.” I turned back to Officer Noh Si. “Why don’t you get the new arrival who saw Shen arranged and we can question him together? A little father daughter bonding time eh?”
I waited for a response as I watched her ears turn red. She never did like acknowledging our familial relations in the office. Noh Si quickly left while shouting “Call me officer!” I felt bad taking advantage of her like this but I had a schedule to follow.
“Agrin, see about getting that door replaced.” I gave a sorrowful look towards the damaged door once more. If only the HR department would allow a stone door, but they said things like “Not everyone can open those and that makes you look cold and unapproachable.” I didn’t see the issue, but my request was denied all the same.
I strolled my way through the building, waving at some of the fellow officers who were doing some paperwork. Unfortunately we didn’t have the equipment Sector 1 had or else it would be a lot easier to record. Those jade slips were nifty little things but we couldn’t power them in our sector, let alone operate them.
As I stepped onto the street, I could feel many eyes on me before most of them turned away. I was dressed in fairly plain clothes so most suspected me of being another civilian. Those who had doubts knew better than to mess with me. Our city was shaped like a triangle, with the market and Police HQ in one corner, while the academy and gate were in the other corners.
I trekked my way along the main street that acted as a border for the city, making sure to keep a nose out for any suspicious scents. While I was a bit taller than most of the crowd, there were a decent number of other civilians, which consisted of humans, dwarves, elves, and so on, who were of similar height. Most of them were armed with various swords, although there was the rare spear or bow amongst the crowd.
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
A decent number of them were also heading to the academy, since it taught more than just the basics most heroes missed out on with their early departure. While many heroes were allergic to things like basic algebra, they wouldn’t shy away from learning more about where they currently were.
As I neared the academy, I could see an uptick in the range of hair colors in the crowd. Many were new arrivals, heroes who had either finished or failed their journeys. After they took some classes, they were given a few options. They could give up their powers and re-enter the cycle of reincarnation, or go back home from whence they came. Going back home would also wipe their memories of their journey and they could restart life as if they never left.
They could also apply to be a citizen of the city, although there was a minimum power requirement to live here. From there, they could take on various jobs or roles within the city, although their powers were restrained by the very space of this place. Lastly, those who wanted to keep using their powers would usually apply for the police academy, who were given special privileges that allowed them to flex their powers to the fullest.
The academy itself was quite small, since we rarely had more than a dozen new arrivals each year. They were expanding it to accommodate the sudden rush, but many new arrivals were relocated to nearby inns. The familiar environment did a good job of keeping scuffles small scale.
I could smell blood in the air, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a vampire amongst the mix. It didn’t smell fresh enough to be a concern, so I continued to the log cabin that the original academy started from. Behind it was a more modern building, with additional wings in the middle of construction.
I opened the front door to the cabin, which was so covered in burns and scars that you couldn’t tell what kind of wood it had originally been. Inside was a simple desk, behind which sat a young woman with light blue hair. She was the sister of Agrin, known as Agren. She spoke in a quiet voice, which echoed even in the small cabin.
“I got the message from Agrin that you were on your way. We currently have a geography class you can visit, as well as the cadet initiation that you are here for.” Ooh, it was so fun to visit the regular classes. The newcomers had an ego to them that I enjoyed tampering down. “I’ll visit the geography class first.” “2nd door on the left” Agren cast a spell, opening the door behind her.
I thank Agren before walking through it. The modern part of the academy was a short hallway with 6 doors on each side, and a special door on the end that led to the dorms. They were solid wood, so no one could see me passing by.
The first door on the right sounded like the class of cadets. I could hear someone going over the rules they needed to learn. I moved on, listening to the geography class. “There are three popular theories about the universe we are in. Tree theory, the most popular, describes each world as a leaf on a massive tree, all connected to one another. There is also Dimension theory, which is popular in a few worlds, particularly world 99 of sector 2. It states that every variation creates a new dimension, of which we are in one. How many of you are from that world?”
I opened the door and walked in, seeing nearly every hand in a crowd of 20 raised. Perhaps Agrin was onto something after all. There were only 2 hands not raised, one from an elf which wasn’t surprising, and another from a dark haired young man who seemed to fade into the background. A classic demon king if I knew my stuff, which I did.
The teacher, a green haired spectacled elven man, turned to me. “Ah, welcome to my class Chief. Perhaps you could enlighten us on the third theory?” I held back a snarl. The teachers weren’t fans of us interrupting their classes, but it helped in the long run to scare the students a little.
I paused for a moment, not because I didn’t know the answer, but because a close friend was a strong believer of it. Shen Illu would have gladly expounded on it, but I would keep it short. “Cycle theory, which states that each world is in a cycle of growth and decay, causing them to rub against each other. Interrupting the cycle could have devastating consequences, so you-” I gesture to the newcomers, “ exist to keep them turning. The lube between the gears so the speak.”
The teacher bows,”Thank you for the assistance. Class, this is the Chief of Police, Roh Si.” I watched as they sized me up in a way that newcomers always did, assuming I was a simple beastman or worse, a corrupt noble.
As they stared at me, I stared back, my eyes starting to glow red. Only those who had adapted to harrowing experiences would be able to hold their gaze. Many of them turned away from the pressure I gave out, but the elf and demon king managed to hold, although they had started sweating. I would need to let Agrin know to keep an eye on them, for they would either make good officers or dangerous civilians.
I let out a growl, although I tried my best to enunciate for them. It hardly mattered with how many were blessed by Babel, but it was a small effort on my part. “Welcome to the front City of Sector 2. I work hard to keep this city safe and beautiful. Our police division in sector 2 deals with magic and aura, the most common origins from our sector. We also have subdivisions specializing in other fields for those with the skills. Those interested in joining our division may speak with Agren about applying. Any questions?”
They started clamoring, but the loudest of them was a muscled man with a sword so big I was surprised they could get it through the door. “How strong are you?” I grinned, revealing my sharp teeth. They were light blue, as I imbued them with aura regularly. “You’re a little early to be questioning my strength. I bet you haven’t even beaten your teacher yet?” This seemed to confuse the man as they asked,” That’s an option?”
The teacher replied,” That’s one way to pass the geography class. After all, if you’re strong enough, you can skip most of the required classes.” It was a system put in to give the newcomers a reality check, although it gave the teachers more work. This was my way of getting a little revenge for the question thrown at me earlier.
I could already see the man about to draw his sword before he was restrained by roots that sprouted from his chair. The teacher propped up their glasses and sighed.” If you can’t even break out of your chair, don’t waste my time.”
The man kept struggling while I answered the next question. The next question came from a younger woman who wouldn’t have been considered an adult in most worlds,” You mentioned a front city. Does this also mean that there is another city?” “There is another city behind this one where citizens can relax in their own mini worlds. Most choose farms to live on, but there are exceptions. You need to pass the classes and show yourself to be an upstanding citizen first, as well as have the capability to afford a space.”
The next question came from a young man surrounded by 2 young women.”If I choose to reincarnate, can I bring others with me?” I answered,” That's a better question for the gatekeepers. They can inform you of the risks and help you determine which option is best for you.”
As I finished speaking, a dagger appeared behind me. I easily caught it without looking, and stared at the young woman who was holding it. “Attacking me will accomplish nothing.” “I uh- I thought you might have been bluffing. Sorry sir.” The teacher spoke up, “I’ll add another week of classes for you.”
As the assassin returned to their seat, I noticed the time was running short. “I’m afraid that’s all the time I have for now. If you have any more questions, ask your teacher or Agren at the front.” I waved, causing a wind that forced the students back into their seats and closed the door. The first man still hadn’t gotten through their restraints.
I walked over to the other door with the cadets and listened. The teacher, an old officer of the rabbit race named Harry, was going over some interdimensional beings. “ A common example is Kirabbi, a creature thought to define speed itself. Another is Error, a creature that defines trouble. These creatures are only known to exist as they start to replace words in our speech. The god Babel can not detect them, so it is up to us to notice whenever a new anomaly appears. What they are exactly is unknown, but if you ever come across a trace of them, make sure to let your higher ups know.“
I walked in and looked around the room, seeing only 2 cadets here. Higher than average. They were demons with curled horns that looked identical to each other except for their clothes. One was wearing a red dress, and the other a purple dress. Harry introduced me just like the teacher before him, but didn’t send any questions my way. “What are their names Harry?” Harry spoke in his squeaky voice, a pitch high enough most people couldn’t understand,” They go by Scarlet and Violet. They can communicate with each other just like the Agran siblings, and specialize in fire and lightning magic. Say, how is the case against the Arborist going?” “Not much progress there, although we’re still looking into new ways to observe the seeds.”
I felt bad for the man, since one of his kids had managed to find a seed but disappeared afterwards. I had a feeling that they were no longer in sector 2, but the other sectors were hard to reach. But, onto lighter things. “It’s nice to meet the new recruits. Do you have any questions for me?”
The demon duo spoke in unison, a habit that took the Agran siblings a long time to drop. “We want to know more about the other sectors!” I guess Harry hadn’t gotten to explaining them yet, but I would oblige.
“There are 4 known sectors, although more will likely be added as we discover new worlds. Sector 1 is specialized in qi, or ki. They are an enormous but busy sector since they have far more ascensions than the other sectors. Sector 2 specializes with mana and aura, two nearly interchangeable powers. We are a smaller sector but we have a lot more cases since we have the hero program. I believe you two entered through ascension?” The duo nodded in unison. I noticed a slight sheen of red and purple from their horns.
“Sector three specializes in spiritual powers. Babel, who you’re familiar with, originates from there. Those involved with sins or virtues also end up there.” I paused as I waited for the next question to come. “What about the 4th sector?”
This time, I gave a wolfish grin fitting for my wolfish face. “Sector 0 is unknown territory. Our array has determined that it runs on a completely unique power capable of turning your own power against you. The stronger you are, the harder it is to enter, and that's not all. The most unique trait of sector 0 is that once you enter, you can’t leave. It remains unknown and will likely be so in the future. There were rumors that sector 1 sent a weak soul into sector 0, but they haven't mentioned anything about it.”
The duo seemed even more interested, but I had one last warning for them. “You should stay away from sector 0 at all costs. If you even get close, it will start pulling you in.” I rolled up my sleeve, revealing a deep hand print around my wrist where fur no longer grew. “This is what happened when I took a stupid dare.” I watched as the excitement faded from their eyes, and I nodded internally.
I would have continued, but Agren walked into the class and whispered something to me. “Agrin says that someone broke into your office, and now it's full of papers. Also, there's been a complaint about blood being found in some alleys. Officer Otto has also started assaulting a newcomer for info about their mentor. Agrin also said that he found area 99 is grinding against the nearby sectors.” I turned to the class and waved at them. This time they were able to resist the wind just fine, although they started giving off sparks.
“Sorry, I have more work to attend to. I hope to see you at the office soon!” I quickly left for the office once more. The work keeps piling up, but I pushed for the sleepless certification long ago, ensuring new officers would be able to work 24/7. With some luck, the thief would have burned some of the papers in their attempt to escape, reducing my work load.