A deserted warehouse, untouched by human feet. A woman lay there, using a hole-riddled, dirt-covered rag as a blanket.
"Hic, hic… Huuughh!"
Her sobs broke through her chewed-up lips, mixed with the sound of sniffling.
This place was too lonely and cold for her.
"Those bastards. Hic! Do they think I wanted to break it? Why did it have to break? How can that piece of junk be worth 500 million? Hng!"
Grumbling to herself.
Talking to herself had become a recent habit. The journey of a Pecatum far from home was always harsh and lonely, so she had to talk to herself to keep from feeling completely isolated.
Especially on such an unfair night.
"…What should I do?"
Killing someone to get 100 million knocked off. The last words of that bastard boss kept echoing in her head. Five people meant the debt would be fully paid off.
Morality? Ethics?
With this incident, Asterike realized something clearly. A conscience doesn't feed you. It only brings you losses.
She had earned money only to be pickpocketed. She tried to help someone being attacked by monsters and ended up with a 500 million debt.
There was only one way to repay it.
"If it's a bad person… sure."
She could do it. She had to do it. Just as Asterike's golden eyes filled with resolve.
"A bad person, so what?"
"Eek!"
A voice suddenly echoed in her ears, making Asterike jump. In a flash, she retreated to the corner and looked ahead.
The only light was the moonlight streaming in through a partially broken door. It wasn't enough to illuminate the night, but Asterike was accustomed to the dark.
Therefore, she could easily see them. The eyes watching her from a crouched position.
"You're quite unpredictable. If you're sleeping in a place like this, you must be pretty bold. And it's not even a safe zone. What if a monster appears?"
"…I can handle monsters."
"Couldn't even hear a person approaching?"
"Today… I have a lot on my mind. And, I didn't choose to be here."
"That's true. I apologize."
There was no mocking tone. Asterike examined the man who spoke to her.
"Who are you?"
"Kim Ihyeon. And you?"
"…Asterike."
What kind of situation was this? An unexpected introduction. It was baffling, but it didn't feel entirely bad.
'Feels like it's been a long time.'
How long had it been since she introduced herself? Those demanding 500 million never even asked her name.
Many people had been like that. Asterike seemed unimportant to them.
"Other than my name, uh, I don't have much to say. I'm a wanderer. Just like you."
"I-I see. Do you need something from me?"
Instead of answering directly, Kim Ihyeon shifted his gaze. A photo lay on the floor.
The photo of the 'target' that Pavoni had pointed out.
"I roughly know your situation."
"What?"
"500 million. The Pavoni family. The assassination request."
Asterike's face turned from surprise to anger. A hypothesis formed in her mind.
"You're one of those bastards!"
"No, I'm not. Calm down."
"Liar. Otherwise, how would you know…?"
"Do you think there are any secrets in a place like this?"
Click!
A flashlight turned on, casting a pale light. Asterike squinted in the now brighter space.
"Who came and when, where they stayed. That an immigrant bought a flashlight a few hours ago could be known in a few connections."
"…Is that so?"
"And thanks to your monologue, I learned you're considering killing Wang Lin. By the looks of it, you might do it tomorrow or the day after."
Her body flinched at the precise hit. Her white hand clutched the tattered cloth she used as a blanket.
"I have no choice. I don't have the money."
"Just so you know, the magic sword thing is bullshit. 500 million? There's no way a low-ranking guy was carrying such an expensive item alone and got attacked by monsters. It doesn't make sense."
"I thought it was strange too! But what could I do? They kept insisting it was my fault, so it became my fault."
A classic scam. Asterike knew she had fallen into a trap.
But it was too late to realize.
Even if she claimed the magic sword was fake, they wouldn't listen. And the reward, an amount neither too high nor too low, was set just right.
"Let me tell you what will happen next."
"What?"
"If you kill Wang Lin, bad things will happen to you. Wang Lin is a low-ranking member of the Red Scarves. By attacking him, you'll be marked by the Red Scarves. When you're in danger, the Pavoni family might act like they're helping you."
"...."
"Then they'll ask you to kill a Svedenie member for, say, 150 million. You wouldn't be able to refuse, right? The more enemies you make, the more you'll need the Pavoni family's protection."
"Why? What do they want from me…?"
"You're a perfectly healthy Pecatum. Most people avoid them, but you'd be a good asset as a hitman."
The Pecatum's characteristic was not only their unique horns. Exceptional physical abilities. Innate combat skills. Their disposition was also known to be combative.
'Aster isn't particularly a battle fanatic.'
The 'Asterike' in front of Kim Ihyeon didn't seem to enjoy fighting.
There could be individual differences in disposition. The stereotype likely came from the many Pecatum working as mercenaries.
'Pecatum is definitely in a precarious situation.'
Having been ostracized for a long time, they're at risk of adopting 'their' ideology. Those who want to put non-capable individuals beneath them.
Legion.
The group Shadow belonged to, antagonists that dominate the main episodes until the midgame.
Though the Polaris world is currently stable, it gets devastated by Legion later on.
To prevent the inevitable tragedy, allies are needed. Talents like Aster are crucial.
"I realized a few days after leaving home."
After a moment of silence, Asterike spoke.
"There aren't many Pecatum in the world. When I heard about those who cut their own horns… I thought they were fools. Now, I just think they're amazing."
The horns are a Pecatum's pride and proof. Pecatum do not welcome those who lose their horns for dishonorable reasons.
Damaging one's horns is akin to burning the bridge to return home.
"Those people made a decision. To live in places like this where people despise, fear, and exploit Pecatum…"
Asterike's eyes darkened. Doubt and resignation. Her murky emotions swirled as she stared at Kim Ihyeon.
"And you? What do you want from me?"
"…Hm."
Kim Ihyeon scratched the back of his head. He could deceive her with honeyed words. A plausible story pieced together in his mind.
But he didn't feel like lying.
"I'm not much different from the Pavoni family. I want to use your abilities for my convenience."
Asterike scoffed at his honesty.
"Ha. At least you're honest."
"Did you expect me to say I wanted to help you out of pity? Wake up. In my time here, I've only seen three genuinely kind people. Oh, maybe two."
Kim Ihyeon picked up the photo of Wang Lin and handed it to her, just as Pavoni had.
"In the next three years, the people who approach you will all be the same kind of bastards."
"Three years?"
"The people I mentioned won't come this way for three years. Unless you plan to hide in the mountains, you'll have to choose the least terrible bastard."
"And that's you?"
"You have to decide that."
He placed the flashlight on the floor. A small gift. Her clutching the tattered cloth looked pitiful.
He would have liked to give her a blanket, but he didn't have one on hand.
"If you decide to join me, stay here for three days instead of going to the safe zone."
"…What about food?"
Her voice crawled, her ears turning slightly red with embarrassment.
"Ah, food. Important. I'll bring some. Although it might only take until tomorrow. They didn't seem patient."
Asterike tilted her head, confused by the brief explanation. Kim Ihyeon didn't bother to elaborate.
"You'll understand soon enough. You might not have time to think calmly, but maybe acting on instinct is better."
As he stood up and stretched his legs, he gave a final piece of advice.
"What I want to say… You were muttering earlier. 'If they're bad people.' I try not to concern myself with that."
The enemy's morality didn't matter. Just like Shadow had a tragic past, villains had their reasons.
"The point is, will they harm me? How much trouble will I face if I let them do as they please?"
Weighing risks and returns. He had calculated it coldly when deciding to deal with Shadow early.
And now.
Considering the return Aster could bring, the risk posed by the Pavoni family was not threatening.
* * *
In the end, Asterike did not leave the warehouse. She only stepped outside briefly for physiological needs.
Two days later, in the evening.
"Haha. Did she think this was hiding?"
The Pavoni family swaggered in. Pavoni himself included, twelve men walked confidently into
the warehouse.
"Is it because she's a savage? She doesn't understand the concept of debt. Hiding isn't the solution. You should think about repaying it properly."
Pavoni openly clicked his tongue.
"We offered you a way when you couldn't repay. Hiding like this only makes it harder for us. Hey, don't you want this sword back?"
Thud, thud!
He swung the sheathed sword, hitting the wall. The weapon taken from Asterike. The noise echoed in the confined space.
"…Hm?"
Pavoni's eyes narrowed. He had meant to provoke her, but the Pecatum woman didn't react.
"Something's off."
"Sir?"
No signs of panic. They had burst into her supposed hideout, yet she didn't ask the obvious questions about how they found her.
Most of all, her gaze.
"She keeps looking at—"
Bang!
A sharp gunshot. The tall man next to Pavoni fell. The mafia members were shocked by the sudden attack.
Bang! Another shot rang out. Another mafia member clutched his abdomen and collapsed.
Finally, someone shouted.
"Sh-Shit! It's an ambush!"
The position was pinpointed. A tarp spread around the warehouse. The one closest to the door.
A gun protruded from under the tarp.
As soon as he was spotted, Kim Ihyeon removed the sheet. As the mafia members aimed at him, he created another piece of equipment.
The 2-star special equipment [FE-7 Suppression Shield].
"Shoot him!"
Thud, thud!
Bullets struck the shield. His grip tingled with the impact.
It wasn't unbearable. Kim Ihyeon tightened his hold and backed away.
'First time in a gunfight.'
It was also the first time he shot someone.
The sensation was similar yet different from his first day in Polaris. His ears rang, and the smell of gunpowder filled his nose.
To summarize his thoughts briefly.
'Better than that Shadow bastard.'
The situation was worlds apart from facing a monster where he had no choice but to use tricks. Of course, one misstep now would mean death, but that was the same in monster fights.
How many more obstacles would he face? How steep would they be? He would be constantly at risk.
'Think of it as gaining experience.'
The main episodes ahead. While it changes in the latter half, the primary enemy until the midgame is Legion. Humans, not monsters.
He needed to get used to facing them.
'And that girl too.'
Kim Ihyeon glanced at Asterike among the mafia members. Fear was evident on her face. At the same time, she seemed conflicted.
It was time for Aster to come to her senses.