#270 A Trivial Whim Twists Fate
"Fuck, time flies so damn fast."
He scowled at the sun rising beyond the window. He hadn't even finished checking all his special superpowers, and morning had already broken. He'd lost track of time meticulously examining each one. By the thirty-fifth superpower, he'd confirmed Bifrost, the ability to teleport instantly to any place he'd ever visited, regardless of time or distance.
"Hmm."
He'd originally planned to use the special superpower selection right away. But as he checked them, his mind changed.
"I should discuss this with Raonjena first, huh?"
The purpose of using the special superpower selection was to aid Raonjena's revenge. He'd been thinking of picking a detection or tracking-type power, but if she already knew where her enemies were, it'd be a waste of his one precious selection. Plus, her sense of smell was incredibly sharp. There was a high chance she remembered the scent of the enemies who killed her family.
Instead of wasting the selection on his own assumptions, it made more sense to consult her and pick something truly helpful.
"Besides, it's not like there's no way to find them at all."
There was a guy he'd forgotten about because he hadn't paid much attention. Even if Raonjena didn't know where her enemies were, that guy might figure out a way to track them down.
*****
"It's been a while, Boss."
"Ah... yeah, long time no see, Karinbia."
The person he'd visited early in the morning was none other than Karinbia. With his Astrologer (Lv.8) superpower, he could ask questions of the stars and receive answers.
"Did you find those guys I told you to look for?"
"Is that why you're here? I prepared this in advance."
Karinbia handed over a thick stack of documents with photos of rough-looking men. All of them were villains with body enhancement superpowers—the one with the lightest record had four priors. Charges: murder.
"Twenty-three? You found a lot. Good job."
"Thank you, Boss."
"Here."
Pretending to pull from his wallet, he took a bundle of cash from his inventory and tossed it to Karinbia. About fifty grand.
"Boss? Why are you giving this to me?"
"Performance bonus."
Just like his days ruling a district before joining up, Karinbia didn't bat an eye at the cash. No fun giving money to a guy like that.
Still, Karinbia was his subordinate, and his life motto was give and take. If something came in, something had to go out. Karinbia had used his power for him, so he was just paying the price.
But Karinbia thought differently. He picked up the bundle from the desk and offered it back.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"I didn't follow the Boss's orders for money."
"Yeah? Then let's just burn it. Got a lighter?"
"...Pardon?"
The guy who hadn't flinched at fifty grand went wide-eyed at the mention of burning it.
"It's a reward for your hard work, but if you don't want it, it's not yours anymore. And since you don't want it either, it's ownerless cash. So let's burn it."
"...You're saying we should actually burn it?"
"Of course. I don't believe in 'if I can't have it, no one can'—wait, actually, I do. If I tossed this on the street and some asshole picked it up, it'd piss me off. So better to burn it so no one gets it."
"...The Boss is truly greedy."
Karinbia looked exasperated.
"Sounds like shade to me?"
"No, sir. In that case, I understand. Thank you, Boss."
"That's more like it. Should've taken it sooner—adults give, kids say thanks! Got it?!"
"....."
This time, he stared with cold, dead eyes. Fine, you're older than me—sue me! Jealous? Then you be my boss!
"Hey, Boss. One thing I'm curious about."
"What?"
"If I'd refused the money to the end, would you really have burned it?"
"You ever see me go back on my word? Obviously. Then I'd give you a hundred grand as bonus."
"...Pardon?"
"And if you refused that, burn it and give two hundred grand."
"....."
Inventory cash was overflowing, so he could pull this stunt. Otherwise, who'd burn good money?
"Is this fifty grand, by chance?"
"Huh? Yeah. How'd you know? You're good—money bug."
"Sigh... I bought a lottery ticket because of it. Shouldn't have if I'd known."
"Lottery?"
Where'd lottery come from? Karinbia pulled a ticket from his drawer and showed it. First prize: fifty grand.
"Once a week, I divine my future with the stars. This week, they said I'd get fifty grand."
"What? Pfft!"
Karinbia wasn't just a dry guy. Bursting into laughter, he shrugged.
"Anyway, keep up the good work, and bonuses will be fat. Oh, and I have a question for you."
"Yes, sir."
"Can you check stuff outside the walls?"
"You mean beyond the Steel Wall?"
"Yeah."
"Beyond the Steel Wall... What exactly do you want to know?"
"I'll explain later. Can you do it?"
Karinbia pondered before speaking.
"I'd have to try. But..."
"But?"
"My gut says it's tough."
"Why?"
"I've never been outside the walls. No info on the terrain, people, what they eat, how they live—zero connection."
"Can't you just ask the stars?"
"Yes. And the more specific the question, the more precise the answer."
"Hmm."
I thought too lightly of this.
He'd assumed asking Karinbia would be easy...
"Useless prick."
"....."
"Anyway, got it. Save your power just in case. Might need you."
"Understood, Boss."
He waved casually at nodding Karinbia and turned. Then called back before leaving.
"Hey, Karinbia."
"Yes, Boss."
"The stars said you'd get fifty grand, right?"
"Yes."
"Heh heh heh. Is that so?"
Grinning, he pulled another bundle from inventory and tossed it on the sofa.
"Now you've got a hundred grand. Stars lied to you, huh?"
"....!"
"I'm out."
He left wide-eyed Karinbia behind.
The extra cash was no whim.
'Ask the stars about fate,' he said?
He'd heard it when asking about his power before. But that implied fate was fixed—and he hated that shit. Like, someone doomed to ruin ends up ruined no matter what. He didn't buy destiny. People make their own future; getting swayed by fate is dumb.
So he'd tossed extra cash. Just to spite that 'fate' crap.
*****
After Steel Armor left, Karinbia stood frozen for a while.
"Fate... changed?"
The stars had never been wrong. Always spot-on predictions and answers.
But now, that answer was wrong. A perfect score became ninety-nine.
"How?"
Stunned, he stared at the door Steel Armor had vanished through.
Steel Armor had altered his fate.
"What the..."
It could pass as a silly prank. But knowing his power best, Karinbia couldn't dismiss it.
"Steel Armor..."
First time ever—he was deeply rattled. Whatever it was, his boss was no ordinary man.
*****
"Twenty-three. That's at least twenty-three percent experience."
Parking, he grinned at Karinbia's documents.
At least. With thirty-six percent already in body enhancement, fifty was guaranteed.
"Might hit Lv.11 soon?"
No need for special level-up on it then. Candidates down from three to two.
"Sweet."
Tossing papers to the passenger seat, he headed to the VIP room and called Raonjena.
She picked up soon.
"-What's up?"
"Meet now."
"-Now? Can't."
"Right now."
"-What? I said no. Piles of work because of you."
"Don't know if you're laughing or crying when words fail~ Don't know, don't know~ Absolutely don't know~"
"-... Were you just singing?"
"Oops! Slip. Anyway, sneak out quick. I'm at Romantica Hotel near Hero Association. Won't take long. Got something to discuss about you."
"-... Fine. Call in ten."
"Oho."
Texted the room number, killed time with TV. Soon, a knock.
Knock knock.
"Come in. Door's open."
"...What's this about?"
Raonjena entered, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Come in first."
"I'll listen here."
"Tch. Annoying. It's about your revenge—still wanna hear it there?"
"....."
Mention of revenge, she stepped inside.
"What is it?"
"Straight up: You know who your enemies are, right?"
"...Yes."
"Where they're hiding?"
"Probably outside the walls. They live for killing monsters."
As expected.
The killers of the gumiho clan were monster hunters. Spot on.
Dark City's top brain, right here.
Fifty percent for him was basically a hundred.
"Tell me about them."
"...First, a question for you."
"Huh? What? Wait, why're you suddenly pissed?"
Gumiho eyes narrowed in fury.
What's her deal?
"You don't know a damn thing, do you?"
"Huh?"
"Acted like you knew who and where, but now? You know jack shit! I teamed up thinking you had it all figured! But now...!"
"Oops."
Should've bluffed knowing. Exposed ignorance—hence the rage.
"Oops? Oops?! OOPS?!"
"Wait. Calm down."
"Calm? You lied!"
"Didn't lie."
"What?"
He rushed to soothe her.
"I knew your real name, that you're the last gumiho survivor. Never lied about anything else. When did I?"
"....."
She frowned, recalling.
He continued.
"And you think I can't help just 'cause I don't know the killers? My power's the same. Dark City's strongest—why're you mad?"
"That's..."
At a loss, she trailed off. Realized her overreaction.
I get it, but...
Revenge for family. Ally clueless? He'd rage too.
But yelling at me? Unforgivable!
Raonjena had snapped at him. No letting that slide.
Throb-! Throb-! THROBBING RAGING-!
Look, his soul partner, Dick the Dragon, was pissed too!
You're done.
No sending her home easy. Hotel call was planned from the start.