Reunion with Agartha: Arms, Assassins, and Horns
"Hee hee, why are you so surprised? You look like you've just met an Outer God that really tickles your fancy."
Yeah. Any fondness or satisfaction I'd felt seeing Agartha—glad she was doing well, looking a bit more polished—was ripped away root and stem by that one line. Still spouting infuriating crap like always. Improved or not, she was Agartha through and through.
"Agh, why'd you hit me!"
"'Cause I'm so happy to see you."
"Who the hell hits someone because they're happy!"
"Right here. Ah, too happy. Mind if I hit you one more time?"
"Eek! First attempted Outer God rape, now woman beater!"
As I raised my fist high at Agartha's natural slander, she huddled with her hands over her head, pretending to cower.
"Sigh, still the same as ever."
"Yup. People only change when they die, right?"
"That motormouth too."
"...Even you, Tantun?!"
If Hunter had been here, we could've unleashed a proper verbal barrage. Kinda disappointing.
"You seem to be doing well. What've you been up to around here?"
"Hm? I told you before. I'm working the underworld."
Agartha flashed a confident grin as she said it.
"When you took down that Greater Outer God called the Dragon Slayer, I carved out a nice spot for myself here too!"
"...News traveled here that fast?"
"Nothing stays secret in the underworld. I even know the color of your underwear right now."
"...Don't know that, you pervert thief!"
Seemingly pleased with my reaction, Agartha burst out laughing, guffawing heartily.
"Haha, kidding."
"...Right?"
"Of course, if I really wanted to know, I could."
"Don't even think about it!"
Why's she so obsessed with my underwear? Long thief life twist her brain or something?
"Haha, just think of us as a group with zero blind spots. If we really dig, we find out quick."
...Just how elite is this outfit she joined? Maybe I let a total heavyweight walk free.
Meanwhile, that arm—supposedly gone—kept twitching during our chat, nagging at me.
"Anyway, what about that arm..."
"Oh, this?"
Agartha rolled up her sleeve at my words. And there it was.
A fleshless, bony horror.
"Ugh!"
"...Why so shocked? It's just a prosthetic. Prosthetic."
"Pros...thetic?"
Even hearing her explanation, I didn't want to look. Bones are creepy! But if I chickened out again, she'd tease me endlessly. So I slowly turned my head toward it.
And understood why she'd called my reaction overblown.
What I'd thought was bone was just sturdy metal framework. The creepy "tendons" were merely cables linking the joints, all feeding into her shoulder.
"These joints? Borrowed a bit from an Outer God fragment. Muscles we can fake, but nerves? No human tech for that!"
Outer God fragment. Impressive. So versatile? At this point, I wondered if the knights hunted them for business too.
"Getting this was a pain. Been a week since the transplant? Before that, my rank wasn't high enough—they dragged their feet. Ugh, thought I'd die of discomfort."
Obviously. That procedure screamed "bank breaker." And Outer God fragments? Rare stock.
"...Glad you're okay. I was worried."
"Huh? What, Tantun? Worried about me? Got lingering feelings or something?"
"Sure, whatever. Who'd be happy seeing their first teammate like that?"
Just a polite reply, but suddenly Agartha wore the face she'd made in the underground prison—back when I'd accidentally pinned her.
Did I say something wrong again?
"...Don't add qualifiers next time, or I'd have misunderstood."
I just tilted my head at her oddly flushed cheeks. Misunderstand what? Whatever.
Chatting away, we reached a teahouse on the market street. Agartha got espresso, I grabbed a chocolate drink, and Asti a fruit juice. We sat.
Figured a Westerner like her would go espresso, but she grabbed a big cup of water and diluted it right away.
"Huh?"
"Who drinks hot, bitter coffee straight? Cool it down quick and chug."
...She even knew the true Americano. Had to respect that.
We each sipped, then exhaled. How long since a silence felt this comfy?
"So, 'carved a spot' means just info broker?"
"No way. I'm pretty high up. Can't spill details, but think high commander vibes? Not top 20, but free rein from them?"
Already that high? How brutally did she grind? Maybe like my Mystic Scholar gig after snagging a big one.
"Then slacking here ain't good, right?"
"S-slacking?! Heard you were coming, cleared my schedule to see your face after so long..."
She pouted, hands over mouth. Classic Agartha ploy—signaling pure bullshit.
"Lies still roll off your tongue smooth."
"...Tch, busted."
See? True colors instant.
"But missing you is true. Wanted to brag about my glow-up, and today was free to check on my underlings anyway."
We're the underground prison party, even apart, right? She grinned cheekily.
High position, huh. Better than scraping crap from lowlifes. Plus, friendly—easy to ask.
"Anyway, who's the kid?"
"Oh, this is..."
I started, but Asti piped up.
"I'm Master's maid."
...Asti's social suicide mission ongoing. Proved by Agartha's comical face.
"T-Tantun."
"No."
"Now slaves too..."
"I said no."
"Our Master isn't that bad."
Asti glanced down, mumbling shyly.
"...He just 'disciplines' me..."
"Quit milking that!"
"Whoa."
Agartha's genuine awe burst out, her words fueling my rage.
"Now that play too, huh."
"Gahhh!"
No allies in my despair. Crushing.
"So, what info you want? For you, tea's on the house."
I smiled gratefully at her generosity. Better keep contacts low-profile now. Asti away ideal.
"Asti."
"Yes."
"See those kids playing? Go play there a bit."
"Okay."
She went without fuss. Bless her.
Agartha eyed me quizzically.
"What needs the kid gone?"
"...Murders."
Straight to it—no dragging.
Her face hardened, sensing gravity. Perfect mood.
"Any recent murders by kids like Asti?"
I knew Outer Gods tied to Asti's backstory. Her nonchalance at Ria. Gardener calling Ria "her." Maybe both linked to "her." Almost asked about "mother" earlier, held back fearing mess.
Agartha pondered, fingers drumming, then nodded.
"...Our side treats it classified."
"Can't share?"
She smirked wryly.
"You won't blab weirdly, so okay. But swear—no telling anyone! Especially Princess, Vice Captain."
"...Yeah."
Confirmed, she spilled.
"Bandre village, rural spots near Rondan walls. Fallen nobles buying slaves from illegal dealers got killed. Issue? Our fakes sold those kids too. Witnesses say... kids didn't kill quick. Sliced limbs repeatedly, like wanting pain, then throat at the end. Victims couldn't even resist. How strong to pull that?"
Illegal slaves, torture-kills, immense kid strength. Matched Asti heavy.
"Any odd details?"
"They vanished clean post-kill. No trace. Even lookalikes remember nothing—like minds wiped."
Hoped for red aura link. Nada. But new: assassins memory-wiped or ghosted post-mission. Small, but key.
"Why? Knights task you?"
"Nah, personal curiosity."
"Ah."
Her group's secrecy? Their slave scam involved. Not my biz—forgotten soon.
"That's all on it. Helpful?"
"Yeah, somewhat."
Confirms Asti-types exist. Progress. Library Outer God dive next. Some relief.
Inside the teahouse where Agartha and Tantun talked. One watched intently from behind a pillar.
A girl in maid outfit, red aura trailing from her head.
"...Seems so. Yes."
Muttering to someone, she nodded, aura fading.
"...Understood. All as you will."
She slipped casually into a dark alley, like nothing happened.
"Anything else? Ask away. Rare chance."
Other stuff... Recorder? Gardener barely knows—Agartha unlikely. Oh, right.
"Got questions on Dragon Slayer."
"Perfect! Just stocked full intel. Good timing, Tantun."
She finger-gunned me.
What's she do with this info? Just sell?
Won't help me anyway.
"Her horns—"
"Yeah."
"Meaning to her?"
"Too vague."
"Like touching them."
Agartha spit her coffee on the floor. Missed clothes, but I reflex-kneed the table.
"Ow, what the—!"
"Horns, what?"
"Grab 'em or whatever."
Still rattled, she thumped her chest. A waiter cleaned up, asked if okay, left. Then:
"Tantun."
"Yes."
"What’s putting a ring on her ring finger mean?"
"Uh. Proposing marriage?"
Her face mixed shock and amusement.
"Grabbing and stroking a dragon's horn? Like slipping a ring on, then groping to excite your lover."
...What?