Libra’s Intelligence Agency carries out various operations. Among them, a special elite group known as the Chasers are deployed on dangerous missions such as bomb terrorism, agent assassination, smuggling, and infiltration.
As such, they are often regarded as 'one-man teams,’ but it is exceedingly rare for them to act alone.
Instead, they form a more active community and engage in lively exchanges.
In extremely urgent situations, the only ones who can help them are, after all, fellow ‘Chasers.’
The Chasers of Libra are like a society that is both a network of points spread across the entire continent and intricately connected like a spider's web.
[Code Red: Request for Support]
[Elapsed Time 103.
Kwaaaa !
A barrage of magical firepower rains down in the treacherous terrain.
Two Chasers, one with eight years of experience and the other with six, are rolling on the ground, injured.
"Kuk!”
They had tumbled down from the ridge of the mountain to the bottom. Fragments of mana were embedded all over their bodies.
Their mission was to acquire a magical crystal called 'Pentiram' from a lawless mine.
Although they succeeded in the mission, they were now being pursued by mages from the Magic Tower with the same objective.
Kwaddddd !
A tornado erupted in the sky, shaving off the trees of the mountain range entirely. It was a spectacular sight and the reason why Chasers do not make mages their enemies.
"There’s no support. Let’s abandon the mission.”
The six-year veteran asked the eight-year veteran.
A ‘Code Red’ grade support request is the highest level of support that a veteran of eight years can request. It’s a plea for backup on dangerous missions, and thus the distribution of merits is also favorable to the supporter.
“. They’re high-ranking mages anyway. Those bastards don’t negotiate.”
The ones pursuing them were high-ranking mages from the Magic Tower.
The Magic Tower folks are usually steeped in a sense of chosen superiority. They are the cold-hearted ones who have lost their sociability after being locked up in the Magic Tower for decades, thinking of themselves as 'greatly superior souls.’
So even if they were to concede the magical crystal..
Kwaaaa !
Suddenly, the tornado had reached right in front of them. The path of the magic was all torn up like a ravaged field.
Just as the Chasers were about to jump down from the ridge, at that moment
Whoooo !
A hang glider descended from the sky.
Tadak.
A masked figure calmly stepped down on two feet.
The two Chasers stared blankly at him, blinking and forgetting the situation at hand.
He approached and spoke.
“[Code Red]. I’ve received your request for support”
He then lifted his mask. The first things to catch their eyes were his blond hair and golden eyes.
“I’m Chaser Shion Ascal.”
He was sharply handsome and had an exceptional physique.
“I’ve never heard that name before...”
The eight-year veteran Chaser checked the communicator first
There was only one Chaser who had accepted the [Code Red] level support request
[1st Year: Shion Ascal.]
He asked, "How many are we up against?”
"Two... No.”
The eight-year veteran hastily shook his head.
"You, what are you doing... This isn't something a first-year can handle. They're high-ranking mages.”
In the world of Chasers, years of experience are directly linked to skill and capability.
Those who are subpar either die or are expelled along the way.
“I know. That’s precisely why I came, because they are mages."
Yet, this first-year confidently loosened the muscles in his neck, unfazed by the fact that they were up against high-ranking mages.
"From here on, I'll take over. You two complete the mission by running.”
Kwagwagwagwa—!
There was no time to hesitate or worry. A tornado, as solid as steel, was bearing down on them.
The two veteran Chasers hurriedly descended the mountain terrain.
Shion, on the other hand, thrust himself into the tornado, the opposite direction.
His clothes were torn, and something felt like it was piercing his skin, but it wasn’t particularly painful.
His body had a natural resistance to magic and mana.
He would feel the same impact from 'physical force’ enacted by magic, but damage from pure ‘mana’ like this tornado was reduced by about 90%, he estimated.
He looked ahead through the SZX-9500.
There were two mages.
Judging by the color of their robes and the brand, they were high-ranking mages from the Magic Tower.
—Is there a bug standing inside?
—What’s he doing? Is he already dead?
—Just in case, let's ramp up the output a bit more.
A somewhat well-known fact: Most high-ranking mages from the Magic Tower are murderers.
Their magic can kill people more trivially than sword energy, and since it's not done ‘by their own hands,’ they feel less guilt.
The fact that they don’t stop their magic even while looking at him inside the tornado is proof enough.
Any ordinary person would have been torn to shreds and killed by now.
Huh.”
Shion took a deep breath.
Immediately after, he kicked off the ground and charged.
Kwa—!
Using the wind of the tornado as propulsion, he burst through in an instant and closed in on the mages.
They quickly raised their hands to cast [Spatial Anchoring] .
It was an advanced spell that radiated mana to suppress the entire body, but it was futile against him.
Shion shattered the [Spatial Anchoring] and grabbed one mage by the shoulder.
Crack—!
He snapped one of the bastard’s joints.
"Aaaargh!”
As one screamed, Shion struck the other’s shin with a fierce kick.
"Kyaaack!”
A different kind of scream. What are they, goblins?
Anyway, the guy collapsed, clutching his leg, and Shion casually touched his face.
Fortunately, the mask was intact.
He should avoid showing his face as much as possible. These were Magic Tower mages, and there might be a connection to Elise.
Swoosh!
He pressed the blade of his knife to the underside of their throats.
"Gasp!"
Even those high and mighty mages make bird-like noises when steel touches their necks.
“...You two. Consider yourselves dead once."
They nodded hastily, as if their heads were on motors.
"There won’t be a second time if you track me.”
He didn’t plan on actually killing them. Murdering high-ranking mages over something like this would cause too much trouble.
"Answer.”
"Y-yes, understood. Please."
“We’ll, we’ll return. We’ll go back right away!'
Extracting such high respect from high-ranking mages who’ve spent half their lives looking down on others was a sufficient harvest.
Shion turned away nonchalantly.
Intelligence Agency, Chaser private office.
As soon as I returned from the field, I sat down at my computer.
[Code Green: Support Request]
There are many support requests in the Chaser community. It's basically a system of mutual aid. You help me, and I’ll help you later.
Among these, [Code Black] and [Code Red] signify extremely dangerous, life-threatening missions, [Code Blue] simple combat missions, and [Code Green] information-related missions.
I’ve been actively responding to these supports to build my career.
However, only for ‘David’ Team Leader’s Chaser.
I’m steadily raising my favorability by diligently helping out
Knock-knock-
Suddenly, someone knocked on my office door.
There shouldn’t be any visitors at this time.
I got up and opened the door.
“...Hmm?”
"Ah- you’re here.”
Sia. Chloe.
They were people from my previous team.
To be precise, Beckman’s move-in team.
“I heard about it Ben, that glasses bastard, he betrayed you, right?”
"Yes. That’s what happened.”
“...We were working hard without knowing any of that. Couldn’t you have told us?”
Sia frowned.
"The information could have affected team morale, so it couldn’t be helped.”
"Morale or whatever. It feels like we’ve been conned."
I looked at Sia and Chloe, the two of them.
They probably don’t have a faction.
A faction. He doesn’t have the temperament for it, and frankly, he’s a bit of a scumbag. Plus, he doesn't want to create something like a faction.
"Team Leader Bell Moore needs people.”
It doesn’t matter.
I can create it for him.
"You two are trustworthy in my eyes. Team Leader Bell Moore will feel the same.”
“...Wait Just a moment.”
"Hold on.”
The two of them took a step back.
"Can we think about it? You're offering this to both of us, right?”
"Yes. You can take as much time as you need to consider.”
I added a subtle nuance to my words.
"An opportunity like this won’t come around twice.”
"Uh... umm."
With that, Sia and Chloe exchanged glances and scurried off, saying they would let me know within three days or something like that.
I sat back down in my chair.
Then, my personal phone rang.
It was Soliette.
"Hello.”
—Shion.
Soliette’s voice was heavy.
"What’s up.”
—I’ve found Knightmare.
The words ‘I’ve found Knightmare' made me sigh, and I felt as if the room darkened with the weight of the news.
"Where are you?”
—At home.
Home.
She didn’t specify which home, but I had a feeling I knew where.
"I’m on my way."
I grabbed my coat.
"Director. Bell Moore's reputation is becoming quite notable."
In the Intelligence Agency's director’s office.
Gedley received a report from one of his subordinates.
"Reputation, huh? Since when did Bell Moore have anything resembling a reputation?”
"Shion Ascal is supporting the Chasers under Team Leader David.”
David is an external team leader for the Intelligence Agency. In simple terms, he’s a field team leader who organizes the Chasers who roam outside the Intelligence Agency.
Since he controls the Chasers who take on the most dangerous missions, David has many grievances with the current director, Gedley.
They're unhappy about not getting proper recognition and compensation for their work and contributions.
Gedley bit down on his cigar.
"Shion Ascal. He must be Bell Moore’s backbone."
"Yes. In truth, all of Bell Moore's intentions can be seen as originating from Shion Ascal. Bell Moore is surprisingly reticent."
“Is that so?”
"Since the beginning of the Chasers, Bell Moore has been involved in almost every mission, and he has defended Shion Ascal even when his reputation was underfire. You could say he’s the perfect right-hand man.”
The transmission was slightly skewed from reality, but Gedley understood it as his subordinate had explained.
"Keep an eye on Bell Moore.”
"Yes.”
"Shion Ascal as well."
If his subordinate’s words were correct, then Bell Moore is currently seducing David.
There’s only one reason for that.
To aim for a position higher than team leader.
Of course, it’s not yet certain, so we'll have to watch a little longer...
"Ungrateful bastard."
Gedley bit down on his cigar so fiercely that his face contorted.
Johanna had spent a long time in the Aerial Garden for the first time in ages.
She quite disliked the Aerial Garden where she was born and raised, so until now, she only visited once or twice a week at most. However, while waiting for Zia, she strolled through the gardens of the Aerial Garden like she did during her student days.
She even engaged in idle conversations with the servants. She toured the library and attended to various tasks from her old room.
“...Hmm.”
Occasionally, she read Shion Ascal’sfile.
"He’s passionate about his Chaser duties."
He’s been taking on various missions lately.
Most are in response to support requests. Two [Code Red] missions, three [Code Blue] missions. It seems like he’s been responding to the Chasers’ support signals...
‘...No.’
Johanna's eyes sharpened suddenly.
“Factionalism, perhaps."
She understood in a moment.
The Chasers that Shion Ascal backed were mostly affiliated with one side.
‘David.’
Johanna knew the name. A veteran who had been pulling in field Chasers for a solid 30 years.
“Interesting.”
Shion, that guy, wouldn't be interested in factions by nature. So probably, it’s someone above Shion.
Bell Moore, it must be.
"He’s got ambition, that one."
Johanna smirked and put down the file.
Playing the fool all this time, and now he dreams of becoming a director or something.
But more importantly.
“...Was it his father?”
Now, she was concerned about Shion Ascal’s father.
He had gone on a certain operation in the past and was killed in action. The details remained confidential, but there was no information Johanna couldn’t access.
Johanna sat in her office chair.
Click-clack, clickety-clack—
She typed directly, speaking with the Intelligence Agency's Chaser and a few of the Libra elders, trying to gather information about Shion Ascal’s father...
"This is a first.”
The remaining information was faint.
No, it was almost nonexistent.
And the reason was infuriating.
His father, Dale Ascal, was 'too insignificant a person for Libra.’
"Ah, damn it”
Johanna looked out the window. Night had fallen while she was searching for information.
It’s already been four days.
“...When will this bitch show up.”
Zia hasn’t returned. She said she would be back in three days, no, two, but she hasn’t even shown her face, let alone respond to her messages.
Johanna picked up her smartphone. She called Zia.
Beep— Beep— Beep—
The call didn’t even connect
She had been blocked.
Veins throbbed at Johanna’s temples.
"This bitch... must be wanting to reminisce about the old days.”
Crack-!
The smartphone she was clutching snapped in half.
