Chapter 215
Chapter 215
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 215
Chapter Title: Exciting Amusement Park! (1)
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There were really a lot of people.
The schedule didn't have anything particularly special. It seemed like crowds gathered just from wandering around nearby, with plenty to see.
It could be because it was a public holiday.
In any case, the program was simple.
Pre-event air show. After the air show, an outdoor orchestra performance. Then the main event: raising the flag. National anthem. The president gives a short speech, the Black Badger Supreme Commander says a few words, fireworks launch, and done.
The main event itself wasn't that long.
But we had been out since before the air show started.
Even though the program was simple, it was an event attended by major figures like the president and the Black Badger Supreme Commander, so the highest level of security was in place.
Of course, as Black Badgers, we didn't handle threats from humans.
Protecting VIPs from assassination, terrorism, and such was the Presidential Security Service's job.
"They sent rookies again this year, as expected?"
When we received the security routes, the head of the Security Service grumbled.
He scanned the faces of my recruits and me, then furrowed his brow.
"Every year, we ask for skilled Black Badgers just in case, since the president is attending."
What's the problem?
Ye-hyeon was right next to the president.
There was no better security detail than that. Ye-hyeon never left the president's sight throughout the event. It was like attaching the best manpower a Black Badger could provide.
But they seemed to think Ye-hyeon's skills weren't what they used to be.
"How are we supposed to trust someone who hasn't been in the field for decades?"
Hessy opened her mouth.
Tom and I quickly reached out and covered her mouth.
We ignored Hessy as she mumbled in protest.
"We always request the most skilled field agent..."
The head let out a sigh and tapped his palm with the rolled-up pamphlet.
"They sent green kids again this time. All we can do is hope nothing happens."
Well, everyone else in the Security Service except this guy was fine.
We didn't really interact anyway. They all left the briefing room stiffly disciplined. It was in stark contrast to us, who were told to just hold position and watch for Creatures.
It was awkward, but Black Badgers couldn't get involved in anything outside of Creature suppression.
I knew there was a lot of controversy about rules like that, but rules were rules.
We exchanged words about getting through the day safely and headed to our posts.
That was four hours into starting our patrol.
30 minutes before the event start.
[There are really a lot of people.]
Hessy's voice came through the earpiece in my ear.
I gave a wry smile and agreed.
It was a clear, cool day. The air show was over. The outdoor orchestra performance was wrapping up. The invited seats in front of the outdoor stage where the president would speak were filling up.
I was in charge of the invited seats.
The stage, the chairs in front of it, the fences separating that area from the general audience. Outside the fences stood several private security guards.
There seemed to be plenty of people who came to the event just to see the faces of the invited VIPs. Fans holding placards were pressed against the fences.
"Matthew!"
"Rachel! Can you see her?"
"Aaron! Aar-on!"
Cheers erupted and faded repeatedly every time a celebrity arrived.
Flashes and noise never stopped.
I confirmed no Creatures within a few kilometers and watched the arriving guests one by one. I'd seen Matthew and Rachel at the Earhart estate. Not a pleasant encounter, though.
I had no idea who the people arriving after them were.
Ah.
Kairos was here.
He said he got an invite again this year, like last year.
"Blackjack!"
When Kairos, dressed in a suit, stepped out of his bright red sports car, the people at the fence cheered wildly.
"Blackjack! Blackjack!!"
Kairos waved leisurely and headed to his seat.
I watched my kin with my hands behind my back.
I was standing outside the fence at the front of the first row of invited seats—between the stage and the invited area. I planned to stand like a statue here from start to finish.
Since I was at one end, I had a clear view of guests entering the fence and faces in the invited seats.
Kairos's seat was the third row from the front.
He'd become too famous.
*The uniform suits you well.*
I was having that silly thought about his star quality still shining when I heard the Imperial tongue.
I widened my eyes and looked at Kairos.
Kairos smiled broadly, his eyes crinkling.
*It really matches your eye color.*
His subordinate, who had blurted out Imperial in a crowd like this, immediately started shaking hands with the people next to him.
I let out a hollow laugh.
"Guess since we've already been spotted, it doesn't matter if You notices or not."
Drones with cameras were flying everywhere anyway.
We'd probably been seen plenty already.
I let out a faint sigh without moving a muscle.
As I stood like a statue, the flashes suddenly intensified at some point.
"VIP entering."
A security guard a few steps from me reported into his radio.
"VIP entering."
The president arrived first.
He stepped out of the bulletproof limousine and walked slowly.
He sat in the center of the first row. The first row filled with his entourage.
Ye-hyeon got out of the next car to arrive. He was dressed as usual: slim black suit, dark tie.
No Chief Aide Skar, just two aides whose faces I'd memorized in passing.
They sat in the second row.
I quietly watched Ye-hyeon exchange greetings with the president and others.
His husky, polite voice carried to my ears on the wind.
Before sitting, Ye-hyeon glanced my way.
"Five minutes to event start."
Ye-hyeon smiled gently at me and took his seat.
"Event starts in five minutes!"
No Creatures detected.
I just hoped there'd be no terrorism. With all the groups that hated Black Badgers fanatically, my stomach wasn't settling easy. I'd heard Ye-hyeon, with his Enhanced Body, didn't even have security attached.
It was a reasonable measure, but it didn't sit well.
We couldn't touch civilians, but if killing intent appeared, we'd have to respond.
"One minute to event start."
The event was beginning.
About an hour until the sweet end of duty.
I hoped for sixty peaceful minutes.
With my senses sharpened, I listened intently to the announcer's voice echoing in the chilly air.
***
The event proceeded smoothly.
Up until the president finished his speech to applause.
Up until the man who had a natural talent for accepting the elders' decisions without complaint, packaging them as his own, stepped off the stage. He was someone tight-lipped, who knew his place, and was predicted to live long even after leaving office.
Everything was peaceful until he finished his speech and came down.
Until Ye-hyeon stood for his speech.
[The Black Badger Supreme Commander will speak next.]
No Creatures.
No killing intent.
So I watched in relief as Ye-hyeon rose, received applause, and walked down the long aisle in the plaza.
White ground littered with colorful firework remnants.
It was the path made next to the invited seats area. Left of the stage: invited seats. Middle: aisle. Right: civilians.
The right side had double-layered spectator fences.
The outermost fence had people pressed right up against it, watching the event.
People with phones filming Ye-hyeon. Families with kids on their backs. Students out with friends. A student holding a pet and smiling. Reporters and some folks who looked annoyed for some reason.
Tons of people, but no killing intent.
Ye-hyeon passed them with his usual long strides.
Looking at the stage...
"Huh?"
What was that?
I'd been focused on the crowd and noticed late.
The Center Core founding anniversary program was the same every year. So predictably the same it was too easy for terrorism. So all security, including me, had worried about terror attacks.
Targeting VIPs, whatever the motive.
Then Creatures, then audience intrusions.
We considered other scenarios but didn't think they'd happen. The odds were practically zero.
So...
"No way."
Even I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
"No way?"
A circular light began pooling on the ground.
The small dot spread in concentric circles. Yellow light grew larger. The glowing circle followed Ye-hyeon's footsteps toward the stage.
At first, I thought it was a hologram effect.
Only after it grew did I realize the yellow circle's shape was eerily familiar.
Something I saw decades ago and never since.
Something I never imagined seeing again.
But how here?
This?
*Hildebert, you idiot!*
A seductive, urgent voice shouted from the crowd.
*It's a spatial transfer circle!!*
Boom!
I bolted.
Kairos kicked back his chair and stood. But I couldn't spare him a glance.
Couldn't glance at the panicking VIPs or the security looking my way.
Magic circle.
That was a transfer circle.
Work of mages. Dimensional transfer mages were wiped out, but plenty of spatial transfer mages survived.
Kin and humans were in the same dimension now.
Plant the seed for a magic circle, wait for it to ripen, leave it in sunlight.
As long as it wasn't disturbed while growing...
"Ye-hyeon!"
The circle had grown enough to draw nearby spectators' eyes.
I whipped my head around and sprinted full force toward Ye-hyeon, eyes widening in shock.
"Come over here! Now!"
Ye-hyeon turned in surprise.
"Hilde?"
He muttered.
"There's nothing, why..."
Rumble!
Whirrrrr!
Space tore open.
"Got you."
Luckily, just as a hole started opening in the ground, I grabbed Ye-hyeon's arm and yanked him back.
"Run the other way."
The hole began sucking in surroundings.
Whirrrrr! Whirrrrr! The transfer circle let out an eerie hum.
Growing stronger.
Ignoring the sound and pull, I gripped Ye-hyeon's collar. Lifted the lighter-than-expected man and dragged him behind the left fence.
"What the hell is that?"
Ye-hyeon stayed calm even as he was dragged, asking.
"Portal? Or new Creature?"
"Transfer circle."
Short answer, then I shoved his back toward the opposite side.
After pushing my superior away, I vaulted the collapsing fence.
Ye-hyeon freaked.
"Hilde!"
"Aaahhh!"
"What! What is it?!"
"A portal opened!"
Good thing we had double fences.
I circled wide around the transfer circle, dashing toward the panicking spectators on the right fence side. Couldn't let my guard down. Getting sucked into that black-hole-like thing would be hard to escape.
"Get away from the portal!"
The double fences started collapsing.
The inner fence crashed down loudly, sliding toward the transfer circle. The hole swallowed the pulled-in silver fence.
It swallowed three or four drones that got too close while filming.
Thud! Thud! Fences toppled one by one.
[Please evacuate according to instructions!]
A piercing mic screech, then the announcer's desperate voice boomed across the plaza.
[Everyone, a portal has opened! Please evacuate quickly as instructed!]
The ground shook.
Panicked people fled the transfer circle, screaming and scattering outward.
At least it spawned inside the fences. Spectators just needed to get out of the plaza.
Thud!
"Ugh!"
"Ack!"
"I'll get you."
I braced my legs against the pull, helping up people toppling with the fences one by one.
"Run!"
People scattered in seconds.
They pulled away from the fallen fences. Legs planted, I swatted away flying placards and chairs, helping up the falling people.
I was frantically helping spectators for a while.
Until a young voice let out a shrill scream.
Chillingly, the scream was right nearby.
"Cookie!"
A high school girl chased desperately after her puppy.
"Cookie! Cookie!!"
Tiny dog rolling across the ground, pulled toward the transfer circle.
I grabbed the puppy's collar in a flash.
Scooped the pup into my arms, then tried to run opposite with the approaching girl. Planned to hand them to the nearest security guard.
But as I turned toward the crying girl, she tripped.
The girl tumbled helplessly, caught in the wind.
Then crashed into me.
Thud!
"Ah."
Falling.
"Damn."
"Aaack!"
The girl screamed in pain.
Immense force yanked me and the girl. To shield her from the fall's impact, I curled around her.
At the same time, I shoved the puppy I'd been holding.
The girl reflexively clung to me, falling into the circle, but the puppy hadn't entered yet.
You at least get out!
Pushed hard, figuring it'd roll away safely.
Worried if it'd get hurt internally from the force.
Worried that since it was a puppy, not a cat, a bad landing could kill it.
In that instant, my body lurched inward.
"Hilde!"
Ye-hyeon's desperate shout.
"Captain!"
And Kairos's frantic voice faded behind me. I was swallowed into the transfer circle with the nameless girl.
***
"Huh?"
The chaotic plaza.
One reporter stubbornly refusing to leave let out a shrill voice.
The speaker froze, staring at the screen.
Eyes wide in disbelief.
The silence didn't last. Once he grasped the situation, the reporter couldn't hold back and raised his voice.
"Senior! Drones are operational!"
The one recording the anniversary event craned his neck and yelled.
"They're working fine! Got the Badger and the student on camera!"