Once is a chance...

Hadrian slept well last night, despite the jetlag.

No eerie dreams.

There were no nightmares of the past to wake him up in the middle of the night.

Just a peaceful rest without interruptions.

When morning came, Maya pawed at his hand to wake him up, an act she does successfully every time she does it.

With no ingredients in the pantry and the food in the fridge consisting of ready-to-eat meals in tin foils and plastic covers, sweet snacks, and canned beverages, Hadrian called for room service.

The staff was eager to oblige him, as, not even ten minutes after he called, they sent a butler pushing a silver trolley filled with delicious and artfully structured food for him to eat.

They were even thoughtful enough to add special dishes for his familiar, Maya, who was more than happy to devour her food.

With his belly full and Maya done with her meal, Hadrian went to his study and logged into his holo-PC (a state-of-the-art advanced portable device similar to a modern laptop) to review the accumulated data of the mission for the day.

Clicking on one of the newly sent emails, a stylish trillion-shaped gem logo (AEONS's emblem) greeted him before disappearing as a window pop-up on the screen. (1)

Several minutes passed as he read the information that was sent to him regarding the target.

He clicked on several images of the target, silently memorizing their appearance in mind before absorbing more intel that the AEONS's Department of Inquisition ('DOI' in short) has especially prepared for him to use to his advantage.

Usually, he would prefer to see the target with his own eyes, but with DOI's remarkable skills in gathering information, there was no need to doubt.

His target's name: 'Igor Kamenev'

Igor was a small-time criminal drug lord and human trafficker, whose dishonest earnings grew significantly as the months passed, causing both of his businesses to begin steadily attracting wealthy yet sickening clientele from underground circles.

The reason he became a target was due to his attempt to kidnap some of the client's employees.

Upon further investigation, the DOI group handling the case suspected that the target intended to interrogate the employees to find out more about the client's businesses, company secrets that only specific members of the board were privy to, and that the kidnapped employees would be used as a bargaining chip to force the client's hand to concede to his demands.

According to his handler, the client was known to be a business cutthroat.

But he has enough decency and humanity to care for the well-being of his employees.

The target's plan would have worked, had it succeeded.

The attempt was, fortunately, thwarted by one of the Enforcers (who happened to be visiting the client's exclusive establishment) before things could get to that point.

After that, there were no signs of any other movement from the target.

The first time seemed to be enough to make Igor think twice about trying to kidnap employees who were not his own.

Numerous arrest warrants were filed against him, but he made some friends in the local government, allowing him to avoid prison every time, much to the complainants' dismay.

Most of the lawsuit cases against him dwindled slowly as people, who were coincidentally the ones that issued the complaints or related to the complainants, began disappearing from their homes or wherever they were outside their residences.

The client, however, was angry enough to make the bastard pay and presented him as the first stepping stone for Hadrian to make his debut.

And, according to the DOI's intel, Igor likes to loiter around an underground pub where different kinds of equally 'upstanding' citizens often gather in the city.

Hadrian smiled thinly.

A plan was quickly coming into form, and he knew just how to execute it.

…

…

…

But first, he needs to change clothes and acquire sustenance for himself and Maya.

He didn't notice the time, but he had been at the desk for three hours now.

Vivid cyan eyes glanced at the grandfather clock situated nearby.

… correction: almost four hours now.

"Mrow…"

Maya looked at him from her cushioned bed.

It was obvious what she wanted.

Hadrian exhaled softly.

Can't be an irresponsible owner, now, can he?

---

---

[… Afternoon…]

---

---

As much as he would like to be done with the mission, Hadrian waited till late in the afternoon.

Not that he encountered any issue. Hadrian merely preferred to operate at night as he found it a lot easier to move around compared to in daytime.

Granted, the old man instructed Hadrian to make his (Rey de Silva's) debut in the criminal underworld as grand as possible, but killing the target at a public setting in broad daylight would garner unneeded attention to him.

The last thing that Hadrian wanted to happen was for civilians to be in the vicinity in case things were to escalate.

Or worse...

Be recorded via camera and go viral in the news headline while caught in the act.

Hence, Hadrian opted to wait till late in the afternoon.

There was also the matter of the paperwork (which was delivered to him, courtesy of his grandfather) he had to deal with first.

Hadrian does not know why, but there was something about seeing the stack of papers on his neat and clean desk that irks him somewhat.

Paperwork was a common sight even in his first lifetime, being a former king and all, but it was irksome, nevertheless.

Earlier, his handler had already given him the locations in which the target usually frequents.

And to ensure the accuracy of the target's whereabouts, a tracking device was slipped into the latter's body (via drink, courtesy of a disguised lower-ranked AEONS member's doing) a few days ago before his arrival to Moscow.

Therefore, Hadrian was not in a rush to deal with the mission.

Since his target does not have any intention of straying from his usual habits, Hadrian had decided that finishing the paperwork assigned to him was more important than getting to the target and completing the request.

And so, his time during the day was spent mostly on reading, reviewing, and signing papers in his temporary office.

Before he knew it, the day was close to setting.

It was time for Hadrian to start the mission.

After a quick cold shower and changing into his work attire (which was a special black suit, custom fitted for his usage only), Hadrian bid Maya to behave before moving to the elevator.

With a swipe of a keycard and taps on the touchscreen device (the control panel for the lift), the doors closed, and the spacious metal compartment began its descent.

Classical music played in the background as Hadrian quietly ran through simulations of how to execute the mission as efficiently as possible in his mind.

From the ample amount of information provided by the intelligence department of AEONS, Hadrian had drafted a few plans earlier on how to get to the target faster.

He even had a method in how to completely corner the target and isolate them from others in case he happens to be in a public area, but he figured it was not needed for this mission as the main objective was to kill the target in a grand fashion.

It was a direct request from the client, and his grandfather also asked him to do so to gain infamy for his alternate identity.

"Haah…"

Sighing at the strange situation he found himself in, Hadrian looked up from the black marbled floor he was staring at in thought –

DING

– just in time to see the doors opened as the lift finally arrived at the ground floor.

Step

Step

Upon exiting the lift, Hadrian was not surprised to see people already waiting for him there.

He might have been distracted earlier, but his senses were too sharp to miss the presence of people he had encountered in person.

Sure enough, there are two men standing a few steps away from the entrance of the lift.

It was Luka Azarro, his chauffeur and attendant.

And Lionel, the Head Manager of Moscow's Crown Plaza.

"Good evening, young master Rey." The two greeted in unison, bowing their heads slightly as they did so.

"Evening." Hadrian returned as he stopped in front of them.

With a subtle glance at his current attire, Lionel turned to Hadrian.

"Off to work, milord?" The head manager asked politely.

"I am, yes." Hadrian confirmed with a slight nod.

"But you just arrived yesterday, sir." Luka said, looking a tad concerned, which (Hadrian can sense via empathy) was truly genuine.

Despite the man's calm composure, Luka was quite kind, especially for someone who had chosen an odd lifestyle and career path (knowing the supernatural side of the world and being a member of AEONS, that is).

And while they only knew each other for a few hours, his concern for Hadrian's well-being was a testament to the man's genuine personality and duty to his job.

Truly, his grandfather has a good eye for picking people.

"Surely you've yet to adjust to the time zone." Luka continued, unaware of being appraised briefly by his charge.

"It's fine. I've rested enough." Hadrian said with a mild shrug. "The time difference between England and Moscow is not that far off anyways."

"Then would you like a lift to your intended destination, young master Rey?" Lionel offered.

Hadrian paused at his words, appearing thoughtful.

After several moments, the magician in disguise shook his head.

"Thank you, but no." Hadrian refused politely. "I wish to explore a bit of the city, and I cannot exactly do that if I'm escorted around with a group of armed men dressed in black suits. That would merely earn me unnecessary attention, especially to where I'm going. I would probably take a remise on the way there for now."

Noticing the puzzled faces, he was quick to pick up on their thoughts and continued.

"Remise is a term for 'taxi' in the UK."

Hadrian smiled faintly in amusement as they nodded simultaneously, coincidentally matching each other's timing.

"How will you return to the hotel, sir?" Luka asked, whilst the man beside him subtly walked away to the reception desk and used one of the telephones.

"I might call you after the work is done, is that fine?" Hadrian said after some thought.

Luka smiled, nodding in acceptance.

"Yes, of course. I will keep my holophone on standby, sir."

Lionel arrived just as they were finished talking, turning to Hadrian with a smile.

"I've prepared a cab for you to use, young master." Lionel announced. "It is waiting outside the back entrance of the hotel. Please allow me to escort you once you are ready to go."

"Then, lead the way." Hadrian said with a slight nod of thanks.

"Please follow me." Lionel said, bowing once before turning around.

With Lionel in front, Hadrian followed with Luka in tow.

The latter spoke as they made their way to the back entrance of the hotel.

"Will you be going there in that state, my lord?" Luka asked, keenly noticing the lack of weapons upon his person.

Granted, he might have some hidden in the blazer, but Luka heard that his charge often went on a hunt with a sheathed sword and (or) twin guns.

And right now, none of the weapons in question were in sight.

"Yes." Hadrian answered simply, calmly looking straight ahead.

Due to the angle of his gaze, he missed the confused glance that Luka gave him as the latter walked beside him.

"Without a weapon, my lord?" Luka asked, albeit hesitant to point it out.

Amused, Hadrian sent the attendant a mysterious smile.

"it's all right, Luka. I have everything I need with me." Hadrian assured calmly.

His words only made the attendant look even more confused as Luka tried to discern what he meant.

Hadrian paid him no heed as he returned his gaze to the front, just in time to see Lionel walking through the twin doors that were opened by two men in black suits.

Following the latter, Hadrian nodded to the two men, who greeted him first with their own respectful gestures, bowing their heads as he passed them.

Exiting through the back entrance of the hotel, the magician in disguise was led to a yellow vehicle that was on stand-by, guarded by two more men in black suits standing on one side.

Upon seeing their approach, one of them reached and opened the door just as Lionel stopped a few steps away from the car, prompting Hadrian and Luca to halt and look at the man as Lionel turned to face them.

"You need not worry about the bill, sir. The fee is already paid in advance." Lionel informed as he stood to the side.

"Thank you." Hadrian looked at Luka and Lionel. "I will see you all later then."

""Happy hunting, young master."" Luka and the others said, bowing their heads slightly in unison.

Luka firmly closed the door once Hadrian was seated comfortably in the back.

In silence, Lionel, Luka and the others watched as the taxi drove away from the path and into the road.

---

---

---

"You can drop me off here, mister."

The driver looked at him using the rearview mirror.

"You sure bout this, lad?"

Hadrian smiled, nodding.

"I'm sure."

The cab driver sighed, resigned.

"Alright…"

The vehicle slowed to a stop.

Hadrian exited the cab.

Once he was out, he closed the door with a firm push.

Turning around, he took a step forward –

"That is a bad place you're going, lad."

Hadrian stopped, blinking.

Looking over his shoulder, he was surprised that the remise was still there.

The cab driver looked at him, relaxed and leaning on the steering wheel.

There was a frown on his aging face. His brows were lightly furrowed.

He had seen that expression before, many times.

It was the look of concern.

Hadrian was surprised, but also a bit pleased by this.

The man may appear uncaring, average and a common face in the crowd.

But his concern for a mere stranger like him speaks of his character.

Hadrian smiled, turning to face the older man fully.

"Thank you for your concern. But I'll be fine, mister."

The cab driver stared at him.

"You look like a good lad." The man began, scratching the side of his bearded cheek. "Probably came out from a good family. But why does a good kid like you want to do what goes in there?"

The man paused, giving the dark alleyway a glance.

"That place ain't exactly kind and welcoming to ordinary folk. Nasty things happen there, you know? Even the laws can't touch that place."

Hadrian nodded.

"Yes, I know. But you don't need to worry about me."

"Kid, you're literally walking into hell. And look at yourself, you look like a white kitten standing out in a pack of stray dogs. I think I have a bit of right to be concerned." The man deadpanned.

Hadrian chuckled.

"I may look like this, but I've been in fights before. I'll survive just fine." He reassured confidently.

Noticing the man's hesitance and doubt, an idea came to mind.

"How bout this, mister? Why don't you give me your number and I'll call you once I'm done with my business here? Just to show you I'm fine?" Hadrian suggested.

"You're not gonna bring any trouble, are you?" The man asked, half in jest and half in suspicion.

"Ahahaha!"

Hadrian laughed.

The sound of his laughter lightened the somber mood of the area.

"I assure you, there will be no trouble for you." He shook his head, smiling. "You're just going to pick me up and drop me off back at the hotel. I'll even treat you to a free drink and dinner for your trouble. Sound good, mister?"

The cab driver perked up in surprise.

"Oh? A free drink and dinner, eh? Can I choose what drink?" The man grinned.

Hadrian snorted.

"No, just one drink."

"Why can't I choose?" The man asked, curious.

"You're a cab driver. You shouldn't even be drinking, mister." Hadrian deadpanned. "I'll choose a bottle, and you can take it home with you. Enjoy it there, it's safer that way."

The man chortled, shaking his head.

"Didn't know you're a stickler to rules, lad. Ever heard of having a bit of fun in your life?"

Hadrian looked at the older man with an ironic smile.

"You know, my grandfather often says that to me too."

"Then he's a wise man." The man cheekily returned.

His words only earned him a chuckle.

After giving him his contact number, Hadrian stepped away from the taxi.

"Alright, mister. Off you go."

"Ay sure, I'll be waiting on that call." The man tipped his cap to him. "You take care now, lad?"

"Sure, I'll see you later, mister. Drive safe."

With that, the man drove off and down the road, while Hadrian saw him off.

Turning to his left, the mage walked towards the alley.

As he did so, he mused on the man's words.

'A white kitten…'

…

…

…

Hadrian glanced over his shoulder with furrowed brows.

The direction in which the taxi drove away.

"Did he just call me naïve or something?"

---

---

---

Step

Step

In a few minutes, Hadrian arrived at his destination.

He was currently standing in a somewhat spacious alley.

Two buildings towered over him on both sides, effectively hiding him and well away from others' sight. It also helped that it was late in the afternoon, so his form was obscured in the dark.

Hadrian looked across him.

The pub was there.

It was where his target likes to hang out, according to DOI reports.

Although…

Hadrian frowned.

The information was a bit off.

According to reports, the pub was supposedly low on visitors at this time of the week.

'Why are there so many people here…?'

Before he mused on it longer, something changed.

Hadrian raised a brow.

The mood outside the pub changed as a few people came out.

At their appearance, the people outside the establishment seemed to be in a slight kerfuffle, as they looked a bit alarmed while they spoke to the few who came out of the pub.

Heated words were exchanged, and half of the group followed the few back inside.

The group was armed with weapons. Probably guards, and bouncers.

Bystanders observed the scene with mild interest, chatting to each other as they did so.

Hadrian looked at them, focusing on their lips. (2)

…

…

"Hey, did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"Igor got a new client today."

"Ah shit, no wonder the rat bastard ain't around. He's usually drinking and sniffing his face off of a line down at the pub by now."

"Yeah. He's meeting them right now at the marketplace."

"That so? Fucking great. Now, we gotta endure the asshole's bragging how he's the shit again."

"Yeah, bastard's real annoying when he's like that."

"Ugh, tell me bout it."

…

…

Hadrian sighed.

'Well… at least I know he isn't in the pub.'

Having heard what he came for, Hadrian was about to turn around –

BANG

– when that happened.

Looking back, Hadrian noticed a situation at the pub's entrance.

It seemed that the little kerfuffle from before has grown now.

…

…

"Fucking fuck!"

"Who's the freak!?"

"Don't let him get away, damn it!"

"Get that bitch!"

"Kill him boys!"

…

…

The cause of the kerfuffle was a single man.

One male, donned in a pristine white suit, gloves and a mask that covered his entire head, was fighting his way out of the pub.

He was armed with two white silver tonfas, and used them quite effectively at that.

THUMP

"Ack!" One goon cried out in pain, having received a swat of light metal in the face.

THUMP

He received another, but on the other side of his cheek.

Two red welts formed, visible in a matter of seconds.

BAM

"Ugh!"

A heavy spin kick to the temple rendered the thug to immediate sleep.

From there, the outcome of the situation was expected.

The man in white suit gave the ruffians a systematic beatdown, one after another, despite being surrounded and outnumbered.

While some managed to counter and sneak their hits in, the man's combat prowess was simply too advanced for the hoodlums to endure and rival against.

They were outmatched, both in wit, speed, strength and experience.

One thug tried a different tactic though –

"Ты шлюха!"

– by arming himself with a gun.

BANG

BANG

BANG

"AAAH!"

"Fuck this shit!"

Shots were fired.

The thundering noise echoing in the district amidst the screams of onlookers.

Who all ran away as soon as the gunfire was heard.

Hadrian didn't move though.

The mage merely watched, observing the man in white.

"Oh?"

Instead of buckling in pain, the masked man simply strode forward, seemingly unaffected.

CLICK

CLICK

– was the sound of an empty clip.

Immediately, the thug looked scared.

But it was too late for him to react or do anything.

A white shadow descended upon him in a span of seconds.

BAM

THUD

CRACK

"ACK!?" the thug cried out in pain.

Spiderwebs formed behind the wall he was kicked into.

Most probably, the hoodlum sustained some broken ribs.

The force of the kick he took in the stomach made his whole body fly a few meters in the air.

That alone was a testament to the white masked man's physical strength.

'Hmm…'

Hadrian stared at the masked man, who was still fighting several more goons.

There was a familiar feeling about him.

His gaze then went to the man's clothes.

The moment he did, that was when it dawned on him.

"Ah… there's divine magic on his clothes." Hadrian deduced in surprise.

Indeed.

The man's clothes were imbued with a hint of divine magic.

Hadrian had encountered several individuals with divinity in the past.

Some of which ended up in a life-or-death battle, of which he barely survived.

Divine energy was the sort that was difficult to forget, once he detected it in person.

The essence of divinity bears a unique trait in his opinion.

Even in a different reality, the sensation was no different here.

'It's well made too. Strong enough to resist bullets. It can possibly enhance its wearer's strength and then some. I wonder what its origins are…'

Hadrian paused.

A slight ominous feeling creeped in.

'Wait… if it's imbued with divine magic –'

TING

Bright cyan eyes snapped to the front.

The Moon Cell gave a notice.

Hadrian was silent as his eyes roved over the contents.

---

[… Notice …]

Divine entity detected within the premises.

Location: 40 ~ 45 meters

Origin of Pantheon: ???

---

"Bloody hell…" was all he can utter.

Movement behind the semi-transparent blue screen caught his attention.

He zoned in on the male in an all-white suit, whose figure was aligned with the blue window that only he was privy to.

'Is it coming from him?' He asked the alien artifact dwelling inside him.

And it responded not a moment later.

[… Affirmative …]

That was his cue to move.

VROM

SNAP

With one click of his fingers, he disappeared from view.

The mage in disguise didn't want to linger there longer than even a second.

Especially when there was a divine spirit nearby.

And it was a good thing he did it too.

A certain irate divine spirit of the moon looked to where he stood and would have noticed his presence if Hadrian had been late in activating his invisibility.

---

---

---

Brushing off his slight discomfort from earlier, Hadrian redirected his focus on the task.

Tracking down the target.

TING

TING

TING

Using the tracker's signal, Hadrian followed the blue glowing line of energy that the Moon Cell made for his sight alone.

As he strolled forward, there were people walking about.

Except for the alleyway where Hadrian came from, people arrived from all sorts of directions.

There were a number of women wearing make-up and revealing outfits that showed a lot more skin than necessary, calling out to those that would want their comforting services.

There were people, men and women alike, who were dressed either casually or professionally, some extreme, others looked average, walking to each of their destination.

But at the same time, they were actually armed and ready for combat at any time.

It was certainly not a place for the weak.

Altogether, he took it all in with a calm and observant demeanor as he walked among them.

The buildings nearby were semi-desolated, almost dingy, but the people around made it lively.

In a gloomy, sort of tense way.

Hadrian did not need to be a genius to know that most of the people who lingered in this district would probably have criminal records of some kind.

[… 1579 individuals with criminal records in local database detected …]

A notice from the MC, his ever-observant assistant, confirmed his suspicion.

'Thanks, but I don't need to know that...'

Sighing, he concentrated on getting to his destination.

…

…

For a few minutes, Hadrian wandered in complete silence.

He was already invisible, so it was not difficult to remain undetected.

Although, he did have to mute his footsteps with a (chantless) silencing spell and phase through people every once in a while, whenever they walk in his way.

He also cast another spell upon himself, one that enhanced his movement speed dramatically.

「Silencio」, 「Haste」, and 「Invisibility」 were must-have spells (and ability, in the latter's case) for those who favor stealth.

Himself, included.

With these three, Hadrian never had an issue maintaining his cover.

Eventually, after passing through another long alleyway, he found the target's location.

At the end of the alley, there was a spacious area with a large building.

Glancing up, he noticed that the building was quite large, about three stories high, with a few windows on each level at the front.

"Hm…"

Hadrian tilted his head.

The front of the building was clean.

Too clean.

His gaze then roved upwards, moving left to right once.

There were numerous security cameras and alarms installed nearby as well.

More than the ones he had seen in the district earlier.

His gaze settled back on the building.

"This must be the marketplace then…" Hadrian surmised.

It must be.

The vehicles (vans, black cars, etc.), the many crates with no labels, and the suspicious-looking people coming and going in the building were telling.

If those were not enough indications, then perhaps the typical goons (armed with guns) guarding and patrolling the front and sides of the property were clear hints.

Hadrian huffed, crossing his arms.

On public record, this specific location was supposed to be abandoned.

The district from earlier as well.

Evidently, the drivel that the local authorities had shamelessly fed to the public was untrue.

Shaking his head at the clear display of corruption, Hadrian sighed.

Pulling something out of his pocket, he unfolded it, revealing a black half-mask.

Tapping his finger on its edge, the mask glowed blue, shifting its shape until it becomes into a full mask that can cover the entirety of his face.

TING

A blue screen came to life.

---

[… Harbinger Mask …]

A Mystic Code produced by the Heir of the Moon.

Initially produced to hide one's identity, curiosity overcame the heir's sense of reason.

As a result, a near-indestructible magic item imbued with the essence of True Magic was born.

Capable of inducing terror into any living target that its wearer considers an enemy.

Specifications:

Wireless communication (audio)

Rebreather (internal air supply)

Dual camera system (8k, 144hz)

Filter mode options (night mode, etc.)

Self-sufficient (due to its infused Magic essence)

Nigh indestructible (only True Magic can damage it)

Wireless link access (Moon Cell)

---

"…"

The mage stared at the notice with a blank expression.

After a few moments, he sighed.

"… I don't really need that right now."

He dismissed the blue screen with a wave of his hand.

Hadrian placed the mask on and turned his gaze downwards by chance.

Then, he saw his reflection on a broken glass mirror leaning against a dumpster.

"Ah…"

An ominous individual in black glared back at him.

Currently, Hadrian was donning a black asymmetrical, long slit sleeves, stylized high-collared blazer with the gold sigil of the Lucis Caelum (depicting a crown with curved points and twelve feathers aligned on each side) lined up on his left shoulder.

The blazer had a gold lining and was half-buttoned, exposing his white shirt with gold decals.

Strapped around the sleeve of his right arm was a dark gray armband with a roman numeral of XIII on the side, and an emblem resembling the face of a demon stitched in molten gold.

Black dress pants covered his lower body, obsidian leather shoes with dark gold soles, and a pair of fingerless gloves to improve his grip and protect his hands.

He also wears a black leather belt with a polished bronze buckle, and strapped near the metal buckle was a golden chain with a spear-shaped pendant.

The mask was, perhaps, the most distinguishing item on his person.

It was stark white, seemingly thin, and delicate in its appearance, with a pair of black tinted glass covering the eyeholes and a slit that curved into an eerie mocking smile at the bottom.

Combined with his outfit, he makes for a foreboding sight.

Especially to people who had never seen his actual visage.

He had been told that his appearance would often draw out various… sensations from people, anything but negative (most of the time), though Hadrian wondered if it would be the same now.

As if the universe read his mind, the mirror he was looking at –

CRACK

– suddenly broke into small shards, falling to the ground into uneven pieces by some unknown force.

Hadrian blinked.

"Scheisse…" He cursed under his breath, shaking his head in bewilderment.

He stopped, taking a second look at himself again before sighing out loud.

His current attire was certainly attention-grabbing, alright.

But that was what his grandfather was looking for.

Exhaling, Hadrian clicked his fingers –

Snap

FWOSH

– in a bright display of gold, blue and silver crystal particles, two objects appeared near his hands.

The item atop his right hand was a beautiful silver blue-colored aikuchi katana with a long and slightly curved blade.

The tsuka (handle) has black and deep blue wrapping, with black details, and the tsuka-ito (handle braid) was braided with a pure white and black material.

The kashira (buttcap) bears a detailed image of a skull wearing a crown with twelve feathers surrounding it. The tsuba (guard) was a mokko gato, black metal with glowing blue details.

The blade itself features several intricate ornaments, most notable was the relief of a dragon at the endpoint of the hilt, displayed in deep gold to make it noticeable.

To his left was an object almost like a scabbard in shape, but upon close inspection, there were details on its external surface that separates it from normal scabbards.

The silver blue blade in his right hand was 'Lapis', while the unique-looking sheath in his left hand was 'Tempest'.

Hadrian owns a lot of weapons, but he felt that these two (Lapis and Tempest) were more compatible to his current alias.

After all, if he wants to be remembered as a representative of AEONS, his weapon choice must be one of his (Rey's) memorable signatures.

TING

---

[… Lapis and Tempest …]

[… Rank: B++ …]

Twin mecha-shifting weapons created by the Heir of the Moon.

Due to their materials and enchantments, they cannot be damaged through normal means.

Regular maintenance is still required to preserve their peak condition.

Lapis: an enchanted blade capable of enduring element-based spells (fire, lightning).

Tempest: a mecha-shifting scabbard. Capable of two firing-modes (rifle and shotgun).

---

…

"… seriously?"

Dismissing the notice (again), he shook his head slightly.

Grabbing both items, Hadrian twirled the sword a few times, reacquainting himself to the familiar sensation of having a weapon in his hand again, before resting it inside its sheath, Tempest.

Rolling his shoulders, he exhaled and focused his mind.

'Send me the target's trail.' He ordered the semi-sentient artifact.

TING

A glowing blue line appeared below him, almost akin to an active circuit.

The blue line led his gaze to the path of the marketplace's entrance… to where the Moon Cell sensed the target was currently located. (3)

Set to go, he gazed forward.

The marketplace was in his sight.

Lifting his right hand –

Snap

– clicked his fingers again, activating one of his abilities.

There was no flourishing display of light particles.

But from where he stood, he was not there anymore.

---

---

---

The marketplace was as expected.

The exterior of the building appeared unassuming; possibly done by design to conceal the inner workings from the general public, particularly those in law enforcement.

But inside, it was what he had already presumed.

…

…

"Ey, let's talk in one of the booths."

"When's the next batch coming in? Got clients to cater to, ya know?"

"Hey man, I need to speak to you bout this next job…"

"What's the take?"

"Got some guns? Cause we gonna need it."

…

…

It was a hub for illegal activities, for criminals and rotters alike.

Thus, even in hushed tones, Hadrian was not surprised by the context of their conversation.

The marketplace was an establishment where all kinds of filth in the city hung out, and where deals born from ill-begotten means were taking place.

Being surprised by this kind of thing meant nothing to him.

It was not the first time he had been among such people, nor would it be the last.

Hell, the first time he visited the Clock Tower was far more impactful than walking among a bunch of crooked mundanes.

Dismissing the thought, he took a glance around.

There were booths scattered about, and alcoves were placed almost everywhere.

Most occupants were speaking at low volumes, so it was somewhat quiet.

Every person in the room carried a weapon of some kind on their person.

There were some who even favored bladed weapons, which caught Hadrian's mild interest.

But it did not last more than a few seconds later as he discovered they were made of common materials and the dubious things their owners had done with them so far (which were mostly killing, torture, etc.), courtesy of the automaton's quick appraisals of the weapons.

The marketplace was clean, but the smell…

'Guh…'

Hadrian couldn't help but grimace a little.

He used the sleeve of his blazer to cover his nose from the various scents that attacked him.

To most people, they probably would not have smelled anything peculiar, as the AC and ventilation systems were doing their work just fine.

But, for those whose five senses have been heightened to their peak (people like Hadrian, for example), they have the misfortune of experiencing things that would make obsessed hygienic individuals scream their heads out.

The putrid smell of oil, sweat, blood, perfume, and others that he could no longer identify had already mixed and scattered throughout the entire floor.

He managed to ignore it the first time he stepped into the building.

But the second he breathed in the air, Hadrian almost coughed in reflex.

This was one of the times when he hated being more than human.

Frowning, Hadrian lifted one hand and pressed gently on the side of the mask using his thumb.

Nothing happened, but there was a definite change to the mask.

Externally, nothing. But internally, there was a change.

CLICK

He breathed out a sigh of relief as the air that he was now inhaling was clean and untainted once more, thanks to the rebreather (made via rune magic and enchantment) that he had the foresight to program into the mask in the past.

Usually, he would activate it if the air around him was poisonous.

But, in this case, he made an exception.

'Best to get this over with…' Hadrian grumbled internally.

With a quiet 'hmph', he composed himself as he returned to his previous task.

Judging by the target's tracks, Hadrian knew he was in the right building.

As he was about to get back into tracking, however –

"– некомпетентные идиоты. Держу пари, вы даже свои собственные члены найти не можете, потому что они такие маленькие!" (4)

– the aggressive cursing of a young feminine voice startled him.

Turning around, Hadrian was a bit surprised to see that the source was a female.

The female was facing a group of men.

Hired goons, by the looks of them.

And from their soured expressions, they were the target of her ire.

Bright cyan eyes turned back to the female.

Certainly, there were women in the building and in the underworld business, but not one as young as her.

Judging by her build, she was probably around 5'3 or 5'4 in height. Her clothes were a bit loose on her slim frame, mostly chosen on purpose to hide small weapons.

She wore a hat, but her hair met her shoulders and was a bit curly, enough for him to see its beautiful deep shade of red.

Her back was turned to him, so Hadrian was unable to see her face.

But, seeing her in this kind of shady location, he can only wonder how difficult her life must be to end up here.

Her hair was partly the reason why she caught his eye, but now that he was looking at her directly, he found himself a bit reluctant to turn away.

He doesn't know why, but there was something about her that drew him in.

It was ineffable to express it in mere words.

And it was bothering him quite a bit.

…

…

'Hmm…'

Shaking his head, Hadrian willed himself to focus on the mission.

Whatever it may be, he will have enough time to ponder the matter later.

For now, the assignment comes first.

With one last glance at the girl, who was now yelling at the helper (much to his bemusement), Hadrian turned on his heel and continued tracking down the target.